Thriving Innocence
by Acia Granger
Summary: Peter Pan and Wendy Darling fall for one another in Neverland, but it's only when they lose each other that they realise just how strong their love was. Now Peter must battle against the mistakes and guilt of the past in order to grow up with Wendy. But sometimes the power of the past is just too strong to thwart...
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys!_

 _It's been a bit of a while huh? Teehee… I'm so sorry! I've just had SO MUCH school work lately and then I had an operation on my foot and stuffs happened…_

 _For anyone who reads my HTTYD fanfic I promise I will finish it one day- that day just might be a while away… I'll probs try to finish it next summer!:) The only reason I had time to write this was because I wrote it in class…:/ Basically we have these things called PD (Personal Development) days where we learn about drugs and safe sex and law and politics and we do the same stuff EVERY TIME. So on Thursday I got REALLY bored so I just sat there writing fanfic;P And this magical idea came to me!_

 _The first part is inspired by ThatHorseGirl so THANK YOU! Go check out her fanfics- the Peter Pan one is AWESOME!:D But the rest of it came to me in a dream! It actually did too…weird;)_

 _Anyways enough of my rambling! Enjoy my beautiful readers!XD_

Chapter one: Strongest 

My fists clenched against my side. I teetered over the edge, the rain running baby streams down my face; mingling with my salty tears. I closed my eyes and tilted my face towards the sky, the lightning painting white across my already pale face.

What do I do?

Where do I go?

How can I live?

Hook had Wendy. A storm was brewing. Blood dripped down my side, pain boiling in my chest. Hook had the lost boys. Hook had everything I cared about: Everything I loved.

A sharp dagger shot down my spine and into my chest once more. I gasped and dropped to my knees. Tears involuntarily sprang into my chocolate brown eyes. I pressed my hands against my chest, crying out at the pain. Blood pooled onto the muddy ground. Hook may have not killed me with that bomb but he had rendered me unable to put up a good fight. Or do anything but sit here wallowing in my pain and misery.

The sound of a bell tingling in my ear sent a spark of joy shooting through my heart. My eyes leaped open and a ball of bright, radiant light filled my vision.

"Tink," I gasped croakily.

She tickled some more and yanked upwards on my crimson stained leaf shirt.

"No use," I mumbled, shifting my hands downwards to reveal the shard of wood that had splintered into my ribs. "Lucky it didn't get through to my lungs, huh?" I said; smiling tightly through the agony the wound was causing.

Her light dimmed in sadness and she settled on my finger, crossing her legs and looking upwards at me.

"What do I do Tink?" I whispered, defeated. "What do I do?"

She pulled on my finger, dragging it out over the edge of the cliff, towards the rolling ocean. "I can't Tink! I'm hopeless," I dropped my head. "Look at the state he's got me into, I can barely move…"

She glared at me, her hands sharply moving to press on her tiny hips.

"Don't give up, huh?" I looked outwards into the roaring sea. Wendy and the boys were out there; trapped in Hook's devilish clutches. He could be torturing them; forcing them to walk the plank. Or worse. I couldn't let Hook get away with this. No. I wouldn't let him get away with this.

"Let's go kick some pirate arse hey Tink?"

She lit up like a Christmas tree.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gently, my body wracked my tremors; I flew over the rolling hills of Neverland, coming ever closer to Hook's black ship of doom. Sea spray punched my face, the wind whistled in my ears; begging me to go back. I ignored it. If I went back now I would have nothing. I would be giving up on faith and trust. Giving up on Wendy. It was as good as going up to Hook and waving a white flag in his face in surrender. And I could never do that. I would never.

Suddenly the ship loomed over head, creating the whirlpool waves. I clenched my teeth against the pain and flew onto the window sills below the plank; tilting my ear to listen.

"Good bye boys," A silky voice echoed from above. _Wendy_. I clenched my fists- what was Hook doing?

"Be brave John."

"I shall try to be"

"Good- bye Michael…"

"Goodbye Wen-"

The boys' shouts of terror rose into the air as the pirates shouted gleefully. "Get on with it!" They were hurting Wendy. My Wendy. I growled. How dare they.

Her feet hit the wood of the plank, echoing in the howling wind. I locked my jaw into place and steadied my breath, wincing- trying to block out the sharp pain.

Her ballet shoes etched over the edge. A sharp heeled boot- Hook- slammed into the wood. Wendy screamed in shock and slipped.

It happened as if in slow motion, her pale blue dress curled around her ankles, her hands squeezed against the ropes cutting into her delicate, slender wrists. I pushed off from the boat as she tumbled like a graceful bird through the air. Her ginger hair curled around her closed eyes, her face was so peaceful. My hands stretched out: blinding pain roared from my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut against it. My hands wrapped around her form, her eyes flew open; widening in shock at the sight of me.

I clutched her to my chest and shot back to the safety of the window ledge.

"Peter," She whispered. Tears of joy filling her eyes, "Oh I knew you'd come Peter- I just knew it!"

"Sshh, it's okay, I've got you now." I sank down to the ground, "You're safe with me." I closed my eyes once again and rested my head against hers, kissing her silky hair softly.

"Oh Peter," She replied calmly. She sighed against me. I could have stayed in that all too perfect position forever but the sharp pain soon returned and I couldn't hold in my whimper.

"Peter?" I hissed in pain as she shifted against my chest. "Oh my Gods Peter! She exclaimed, staring wide-eyes at my broken form.

"Pretty bad huh?" I breathed a laugh.

"Pretty bad…? Peter what… on earth… Hook?"

But I silenced her as shouts from above captured my attention. Whispers of 'no splash Captain' drifted into my ears. The clouds parted above us and the rain lessened to a drizzle.

Tink winked at me questioningly, carrying a crocodile clock in her tiny fingers. I grinned and nodded. With a mischievous giggle –like tinkle she shot off towards the ship.

"N-no splash Captain," Starkey exclaimed.

"Oh so you want a splash do you Mr Starkey!?" Hook yelled, shoving Mr Starkey off the edge of the ship and into the rolling ocean.

That's when I heard the tick-tock.

"Is that a clock Captain?" Smee asked timidly.

"WHAT!?" Hook roared, I heard a few sniggers from his captures and couldn't help but smirk.

The pirates clumped to the other side of the ship, "It's coming from over there!"

"Where!? I don't see anything!"

I and Wendy slipped gracefully on-board. The lost boys' faces lit up with pure joy, then fell into wide-eyes shock as they took in the sight of my bloody soul.

I put my finger to my lips, smiled and winked. They glanced at each other wearily, decided I was good to go, and then grinned with excitement. Slightly sniggered and he looked across at the Pirates; who were searching wildly for the crocodile. "Well done Tink, keep it up!" I inwardly praised.

I gently placed Wendy down on the damp wood. I brushed the bangs from her worrying eyes as she steadied me. "I'll be fine," I said softly; squeezing her hand tight to regain both our confidence, before slicing the ropes around the Lost Boys. They saluted me happily as I took off and disappeared into the ship's great masts- to watch the scene play out with my hawk like eyes.

The Pirates faces of utter shock were classical when they turned and saw Wendy and the Lost Boys innocently standing there. Many dropped their weapons to the ground; startled. The metal thudded and clanged against the wooden planks. I sniggered but quickly stopped when a burning pain sliced through my ribs.

"Good day Captain Hook," Wendy said, smiling sweetly.

"It's a ghost!" Smee cried, fumbling with his gun. The boys and Wendy laughed, filling my soul with a passionate pride.

"Don't be stupid!" Hook snarled, trembling with fear and staying well back from my gang. "Look around you!" Everyone simultaneously looked up into the clear blue sky and the calm, gently rocking, ocean. "Pan's alive!" Hook cried, sweat dripping down his pale and wrinkled face.

"Back from the dead!" Starkey quivered in his terror.

"Haha!" I called from up above. "That took you long enough to figure out!" I leaned against the mast, hoping it would look arrogant and casual while in reality I needed the support. The world was shifting in and out of focus- how on Earth was I supposed to fight like this?

The pirates gaped when they saw me grinning cockily in the air.

"Grab their treasure while they're distracted!" Nibs yelled suddenly. The lost boys scattered over the ship.

"AFTER THEM!" Hook screamed. The pirates scrambled along the floor to pick up their precious weapons and took speedy chase.

Hook began to climb up the mast- the roped winding round his ankles in the soft breeze- like a spider's web.

I unclipped my dagger from the vine belt wrapped around my waist, pressed my hands against my chest in a rushed attempt to stench the blood flow, and braced myself for the most memorable fight yet.

"I'm going to get you Pan! This time I won't fail! It'll be you wallowing in humiliation and misery! You at the bottom of my feet! YOU WILL KISS THIS BOOT PAN!" Hook screamed in a feverish manner; his hair flapping round his face like a wild monster.

I grinned, "Good luck!" I didn't have the strength for long conversations. I could her joyous shouts from the lost boys and relaxed slightly- one less thing to worry about at least. Black dots dimmed the edge of my vision. My heart pounded in terror: "No I couldn't black out now!" I clenched my fists as Hook's sword scraped the boom I was stood upon. I snapped back into focus as he pulled himself up next to me.

Hook looked me up and down, "How!? How did you survive my bomb?" Hook panted for breaths.

"You underestimate me."

Hook snarled aloud into a savage laugh, "Me!? Underestimate you!? Come now Peter, we've played these games long enough. Let's for once fight man to man. No flying, no tricks. A duel to the death! Shall we?"

"You have a deal Captain Hook, I give my word." Well how could I refuse in front of Wendy and the boys? They'd think I was scared. Truth was I was terrified- I could barely stand up on my own two feet. I'd have to rely on the will to live to win this last fight.

I pushed myself off the mast and set myself into a steady fighting position, my hands shaking in the dagger's grip.

His black beady eyes: beetle-like, locked on my own soft brown orbs.

"Now Peter Pan, prepare to DIE!"

 _Dun dun duuuuuuuun! What will happen next? Only I know! Muahhahaha! Okay I'm not hyped up on sweets AT ALL!;P I'll have the next chapter up by Easter! Oh dear… Naughty school!_

 _Don't forget to review! All criticism is welcome!:D_


	2. Chapter 2

_Forgot to mention last time in this story I've changed their ages slightly- haha slightly! Get it? Cause Slightly is…never mind…Lol… Peter is fourteen and Wendy is fifteen._

Chapter 2: Pain

"Now Peter Pan, prepare to DIE!"

He lunged forward and I skipped out the way, grabbing onto the rope and swinging myself onto the other side of the mast. I landed with a wobble and pressed against my chest. Drops of blood splattered onto the boom.

Hook cried out in annoyance and I smiled teasingly, "Unfortunately for you, Hook, unless you can catch me, you can't kill me."

He snarled, grabbed the other rope and swung round to join me. As he came at me I swiped my dagger upwards- shaving off the feathers decorating his hat. Bursts of laughter sounded from bellow and I saluted the lost boys and Wendy.

But in the second I looked away Hook had regained his balance and swiped at me. My senses dimmed by blood loss, I moved away a second too late and Hook's long sharp sword sliced down my arm. I cried out involuntarily and leaped backwards.

Hook's eyes glinted like crimson in the sunlight. "Oops! I caught you!" He sang, laughing hysterically.

I growled and swiped at him but he was too quick for me. Pushed forwards by the force of my lunge I fell onto the beam- screaming in agony when my ribs cracked against the wood. Hook's sword swung down and I rolled over- completely off the mast. My hands scrambled for the rope, grasping the ends just in time. I dangled for a moment, my hands burning with the effort to hold me up. But then Hook's sword came down again and hacked at the rope- splitting it into two. The laughter had died down, overcome by the gleeful cheers of Hook's crew.

I fell.

My dagger slammed into the mast as I fell; my anchor. It splintered and crackled as it carved through the wood. I closed my eyes. The dagger came to a halt and I looked downwards. At least six metres off the ground- Hook four above me. I was clinging onto my dagger; that was stuck fast in the wooden mast, for dear life.

I groaned: if only I hadn't made that cocky deal with Hook. I was injured! And now I was stupid and humiliated. How could I win a fight without flying!? It was madness!

Hook laughed maliciously from above, "Now what Peter! You can't fly! You swore you wouldn't! HAHAHAHA!"

"Fly Peter, fly!" Wendy called from below. The pirates and Lost boys seemed to have forgotten one another and were fixated on my and Hook's fight.

"No! I gave my word!" I shouted. I yanked my dagger out the mast and held it between my teeth. Wrapping my arms round the mast I pulled upwards, tears springing to my eyes at the pain ripping through my chest. "I won't give up on you…" I whispered, Wendy's laughing face filling my vision. "Urghhhh!" I pulled upwards. Centimetre by centimetre. Towards the devil above me.

Hook spoke from above me. "I'd love to watch this battle to climb up my glorious ship's masts all day! But unfortunately for you I'm getting a bit bored!" Hooks gave a vitriolic smile, gripped the rope and swung towards me, his sword raised.

"PETER!" Wendy screamed.

I let go off the rope moment before Hook sliced the place I'd been moment before. I gripped onto Hook's legs- he cried out as I slammed my dagger into his thigh. His sword whistled through the air and carved directly into my collar bone and out my shoulder. We both screamed. The rope swung to a stop and we dropped the last metre to the ground.

Blood and dark black spots danced in my vision. I cried out and covered my face with my hands- trying to rub away the darkness in my head.

Hook laughed tightly, his teeth gritted in pain. He dragged himself upward and raised his sword. I coughed and blood sprayed onto the wood: Not good. I looked up and we locked eyes.

"And now Peter Pan, you shall di-"

But then Michael slammed a hard, heavy bomb into his head and Hook fell with a thud to the ground- unconscious. The pirates stood there, shocked to silence.

Then I was sucked into oblivion.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My eyes fluttered open. Blurred visions of people surrounded me: Their panicked voices merging together, creating the sound of swarming bees.

White hot pain suddenly shot through my spine and I arched my back in an agonized scream.

"Sshhh, it's okay, it's okay." Wendy's face swam into my vision- sweat lined her hairline and her forehead was creased in fear and worry.

I cried out once again as another rocket of sharp pain emitted from my chest wound.

"Shh," Wendy soothed, stroking my forehead gently.

"What…?" I mumbled.

"It's okay, you're safe- just concentrate on saving your energy."

"It's hurts…" I whimpered through the agony, tossing my head on fluffed up pillows.

"I know, I know." She kissed my head softly, like I had hers earlier that day… or was it still today? How long had I been out?

I tried to move my wrists and my legs but found them strapped tightly to the bed with old pirate belts. "Wendy…" I sobbed…

"Sshh, you're safe now. I'm here."

It was then that I made out John, a sharp glistening knife in one hand, a pair of tweezers in the other- both coated in scarlet blood- bent over my chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut- was John sure he knew what he was doing? Pain blossomed like fire once again in my chest- worse than ever before. I thrashed and screamed. I felt hands pushing me down- holding me still. I could barely hear the lost boys' worried voices and unintelligible encouragements. Blood thundered in my ears.

"Shh, it's okay- I've almost got it Peter." I heard John say tightly.

I ground my teeth together in a scream; Wendy's soothing doing little to ease the agony. I eventually welcomed the black darkness once more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I felt the cold sweat coating my face when I next awoke. I shivered, morning sunlight drifting through the red curtains of Hook's cabin. What happened?

I shifted my bleary eyes. Wendy. She was slouched on an old rickety chair, her eyes red and puffy from tears. Her ginger hair wafted round her face in the gentle breeze drifting from the open windows. She looked so peaceful and perfect: like an angel: My guardian angel.

"Peter!" I looked across to see Tootles curled up at the foot of my bed. "You're awake!"

I raised my good arm and put my finger to my lips, glancing across at Wendy. It felt weird telling Tootles to be quiet- after all it was only when we were completely alone that he would talk out loud.

Tootles nodded and scurried silently over. "How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

"Let's just say I've felt better," I smiled. He grinned back and snuggled into my good side. I rested my head on his and closed my eyes, trying to block out my pain. "So… what happened?" But Tootles was already asleep. I smiled softly to myself.

"Peter?"

Wendy.

I turned my head to see her wide beautiful eyes gazing at me with a perfect passion. "You're awake!" She sobbed and put her hands to her mouth.

"Hey…shhh- I'm okay," I soothed. I raised my arm to stroke her hair but white hot pain burned through it and I cried out.

"Peter!" Wendy cried, gently placing my arm back down. Tootles stirred next to me and I squeezed my eyes tight.

"Well that worked." I grinned.

Wendy relaxed next to me, "You idiot. Don't move your arm or turn over or really do anything but lie in bed. At least not until you're better, understood?"

"Yes, your majesty." I joked.

She smirked and kissed my forehead softly, then frowned, "You feel hot."

She turned round and picked up a cool cloth. I sighed when she laid it on my head. "Better?"

"Better," I replied. "So what happened?"

She grimaced. "Michael wacked Hook with a bomb and he blacked out, the pirates seemed unsure of what to do for a moment. The lost boys scared them off and they ran away carrying their fallen Captain. We got you laid down here in Hook's clean cabin. John's studied a bit of medicine with his tutor so he got the wood out of your chest and reset the bones. It was horrible…" Tears sprang to her eyes, "You were in so much pain and there was nothing I could do to help you."

"Hey… it's alright. I'm stronger than any old piece of wood- don't ever forget that."

She brushed the tears from her eyes, "I won't."

"Then what?" I asked earnestly.

"Well John and I bandaged you up and you've been out for two days."

I gasped.

"The lost boys are sleeping down below with John and Michael. Tootles wouldn't leave your side." She looked fondly at the smallest Lost Boy, curled into my good side.

"I sometimes forget how young he is." I said.

"How old are you Peter?"

"Me?"

"Who else?"

"I… I don't even remember. It's been so long since I've had to think of anything like that. How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Wait… that's it! I was going to turn fifteen! And then… something happened and I came here. So that would make me fourteen."

"Haha, I'm older than you."

"Pft! I don't care! I'm proud to be younger!"

"Respect your elders Peter."

"Hey!"

She giggled and a warm fuzzy feeling entered my stomach.

Suddenly the cabin door banged open.

"PETER! YOU'RE AWAKE!"

"YAY!"

"PETER!"

"HE'S ALIVE!"

"Oh no…" I whispered.

The lost boys pounded into the room followed by John and Michael, "Hey! No jumping on the bed! He can't heal overnight you know!"

Tootles jumped awake.

"But Tootles is on the bed!" Curly complained.

"TOOTLES GET OFF THAT BED; YOU'LL GIVE HIM AN INFECTION!"

"John, I really don't think-" Wendy started.

"YES IT IS TRUE! I READ IT IN A BOOK SOMEWHERE."

Wendy sighed and picked Tootles off the bed and placed him on the soft carpeted floor of Hook's cabin.

"Boys! Halt!" Slightly commanded. They stopped in a circle about a foot from the bed.

"Hey guys! Well done by the way Michael- kicking Hook's arse like that!" I said.

Michael giggled and they all grinned at one another. "You'll have plenty of time to catch up later; I need to change his bandages." John commanded.

"Yes Sir!" The boys saluted John and left the room:

"See ya later Peter!" They called.

"Few!" I relaxed back against the bed, the cabin going awfully quiet with just John and Wendy.

"How are you feeling?" John asked.

"Woozy," I replied. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving my life, what do you think?"

"Oh yeah, well it was my pleasure Sir," He bowed and I grinned, nodding my head respectfully in reply.

Wendy took my hand and sat down at the bottom of the bed; giving John room to get to my shoulder. John grabbed some clean bandages and began untying the old ones. I turned my head away and squeezed Wendy's hand, trying to distract myself with Hook's luxurious cabin décor. I winced and hissed in pain when John tugged the last of the old bandage off.

"Well, the bleeding's stopped." He said, his fingers caressing the tender flesh.

"Ah!" I cried out.

"Sorry!" He started winding the fresh bandage over my shoulder and tied it together with a safety pin.

"I'll leave your chest for now- the bones need to set properly first."

"Okay, thanks."

"You're welcome Peter." He left the room.

My eye lids drooped sleepily. "You should get some rest, you're body has a lot to heal." Wendy said.

"You're one to talk. Have you even slept in the past two days?"

She averted her eyes. I patted the other side of the double bed- where Tootles had been, "You can sleep here- I doubt that chair's very comfortable."

"That's not very proper Peter."

"Who cares!? Like I can do anything!" I exclaimed.

She giggled, "True." Wendy moved round and snuggled up next to me. I put my good arm protectively around her body and she rested her head in the crook of my arm. She was asleep almost instantly.

I stared up at the patterned ceiling and yawned.

 _I hope you enjoyed this! Let me know what you thought of it in the reviews- I'm always open to helpful criticism!:)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Here we go! Another chapter is ready! This chapter's quite a short one but a lot happens! I hope you enjoy…_

Chapter 3- Tears

Two weeks later:

"That's it, nice and easy Peter- don't push yourself."

I leaned heavily on the makeshift crutch and shifted over to the doorway: my ribs, still sore, aching in protest. I was finally up! Finally moving! They were only baby steps but still, I was alive. I gritted my teeth. Not being allowed to walk had been worse agony that the healing itself. It was horrible but Wendy and the boys had got me through it.

I reached out and touched the door with a grin. The boys cheered and I leaned against it with a sigh of relief.

"Well, you've reached it."

"Now you've got to get back!" The twins said.

"Pft! Can't I sit outside for a bit John?" I begged.

He sighed, "Okay- but no moving from the chair understood?"

"Yes doctor."

He grinned and saluted me.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

One Week later:

"Ready or not here I come!" I called. John had finally allowed me to move around more- I could go places without my crutch and had explored the ships depth with the lost boys. We'd even discovered a hidden treasure chest! The boys and I couldn't wait to hide it from Hook once I was able to move off this blasted ship! Speaking of Hook we still had no idea where he'd gone, where the pirates had taken him. But I had no doubt that he would be back to get his revenge.

I walked carefully from the cabin and slipped down the staircase. The boys had taken out the ladder and put in the rickety staircase so I could get up and down the ship without damaging my shoulder or ribs. I slipped silently through the barrels of rum; searching for my mighty crew.

That's when I heard the sniffle.

"Oh Mother what do I do? I can't very well leave Peter- he needs me. But oh Mother I miss you so much. It's been such a roller coaster with Peter getting ill and hurt and his fever was up for days. I could barely handle it and oh Mother I wish I could tell you all about it. I wish I could see you and father. It's been too long and oh mother I don't want to forget you. I feel as though I am and it terrifies me mother. Oh what do I do?"

"Wendy?" I say, pushing an empty barrel to one side to reveal a little cubby hole and Wendy curled up inside.

"Peter!" Wendy exclaims leaping up and wiping tear tracks off her pale face.

"It's okay Wendy: You can go home- I'm better now. I don't want you being sad." I say, my heart cracking. I didn't want Wendy to leave! I wanted her to stay here forever! I still had so much to show her! She couldn't leave me now! But that was being selfish; I had to let her go.

"Oh Peter no I- I couldn't. You still need me and John to take care of you and-"

"Wendy," I cut her off. "Your Mother's probably worried. She needs you more than I do. Go home to her. Michael's only little- he needs his mother too. I'd feel awful if I kept you apart for too long. Please Wendy- If you want to go, then go. I'll take you home."

She sniffles, "Oh Peter!" She wraps her arms gently round me and kisses my check. I can almost feel myself blushing. We stare at each other in the dim light of the ship for a moment before she presses her lips firmly to mine. I stiffen for a moment- unsure of what's going on. Then I relax and wrap my good arm tight around her and gently kiss her back.

After a moment- that feels like a year but it's over far too quickly- we break apart, "Now I'll never let you go," I whisper, caressing her hair with my fingers.

She breaths a laugh, "I'll see you again, I know I will. Thank you, Peter."

"It's my pleasure My Lady," I move back, nod my head in a bow and hold out my hand.

She takes it and her fingers wrap around mine in a tight embrace. I lead her up on deck where the boys are stood in a line. "There you are Peter! We couldn't find you! I thought you were trying to find us!" Nibs exclaims.

"Yeah have the rules changed or something?" Curly agrees, looking thoroughly confused.

"No, sorry lads I just got a bit distracted." I explain glancing across at Wendy. She looks at me, "Hoist anchor lads! We're taking Wendy and the boy's home!"

"What!?" The boys shout.

"Oh no please Wendy!" Michael begs.

"We have to see Mother and Father- they'll be worrying about us." Wendy explains hugging Michael tight.

"Okay then." Michael says sadly, yet still smiling up at his big sister with wide blue eyes; as vast as a deep ocean.

I give a small sad smile. "Let's go lads! Pixie dust!" I command.

"Aye aye Captain!" They chorus.

Tink flies around the ship- painting it in shimmering gold. I stare out at the Island; thinking of all the adventures I could have with Wendy. Adventures I may never get to have; a silent tear runs down my face and I taste it's saltiness on my lips. The ship rises steadily and we take off for London.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Look after the boys for me won't you," Wendy says softly as I help her, gentleman like, into the bedroom.

"Of course I will," John carries a sleeping Michael and lays him in the bed.

"Don't over exert yourself or you'll reopen the wounds." John says. "You can take the stitches out in about a week. Get Slightly to do it for you- he has the steadiest hands and he's the oldest."

I nod, "Yes Doc." He grins at me and climbs into his bed, placing his glasses on the side. He's asleep in an instant. I gaze out into the heart of London.

"Peter," Wendy starts.

I turn round and press my lips once more to hers, gripping the small of her back tightly and pressing her too me. "No, don't say Goodbye. Because saying Goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting." I say softly.

"Okay," She whispers. She kisses my cheek softly, "Goodnight Peter," and climbs into her bed, blowing out the candle as she goes.

"Goodnight Wendy," I turn round and fly back up onto the ship.

"Second star to the right and straight on till morning lads."

"Yes Captain Pan!" The boys shout.

I turn round as we near home. A faint light still glows in the Nursery window. I can just make out the silhouettes of the family hugging one another with joy. I close my eyes and turn away, tears springing into my eyes. "Goodbye Wendy."

 _*Sniffles* No Wendy don't leave Peter! Ahh! I'm so deliciously evil;) Jk that sounded a bit weird… Anyways I have no idea when the next chapter will be up- probably around half term time but I don't know how much school work I'm going to get between then and now so yeah… anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to review!:D_


	4. Chapter 4- Alone

_I hope this MASSIVE (well massive for me anyway;) chapter makes up for the last few small ones!;) I'll see you at the bottom….Hope you enjoy…._

Chapter 4- Alone

It was far more painful than I'd ever imagined. Worse than the time Hook had slashed at my shoulder and set off the bomb that caused wood to pierce my chest. I felt so alone. I was surrounded by laughing boys and fun games and Indians. Yet I was so alone.

I'd sat on the mountains watching the sky, hoping, begging to see Wendy's silhouette fly across the silver moon. But it never did.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1 Year Later

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was finally going: Going to see Wendy. I sighed as the cold air whipped across my face. This was my first ever time to London alone; without Tink. But I didn't feel alone or scared. I merely felt pure joy. I couldn't believe it- I shouldn't be going. I wasn't invited but I just couldn't live without hearing her beautiful stories anymore! Live without seeing her laughing smiling face. Was I lovesick? Totally.

I arrived in London in the early morning. It was strange- I was used to flying over London in the night to listen to Wendy's bedtime stories. The few cars beeped at one another and the streets were alive with the hustle bustle of people going about their daily business. I jumped from roof to roof until I landed on the Darling house; quiet as a ghost.

I crept onto the nursery window. John and Wendy were nowhere to be seen. Michael was playing with Nana. I gasped- he'd grown so much! Of course… he'd be four now and starting school soon. I sighed and moved around to the back of the house. It was then that I saw a small light through a half open window. I peeked inside.

There she was.

My Wendy.

She was wearing a grey cotton dress and her hair was wound up in a loose bun and tied with a pale yellow ribbon. Wisps of her hair blew across her crystal blue eyes from the light breeze that was drifting through the window. She had a quill in her hand and was writing slowly and carefully across crisp white pages in a large book. I frowned and leaned in closer- what was she doing?

 _Bang!_

"Owwww!" Sharp pain blossomed in my head and I rubbed at it angrily. The window jittered and vibrated from the force of our collision.

A gasp sounded from within and the angry window was thrown open. "Peter!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Owww! My head!" I groaned.

"Peter! Oh what a lovely surprise! Come in peter!"

I blinked the dizziness away and swooped in through the window.

"Wendy!" I grinned and hugged her tightly.

"Oh Peter I haven't seen you in so long! How are you?"

I grinned, "So formal!"

She huffed.

"I'm fine. Anyways what are you doing!?" I hopped over to the desk and peered at the letters across the page. _Peter crowed and the lost boys leaped up into the air with joy. The crocodile clapped his hands together and Hook growled angrily from his ship. "I'll get you for this Peter! If it's the last thing I do!" The boys and Peter scurried away with the treasure fast as lightning. They were going to hide the treasure_

"You shouldn't have scared me like that Peter. You almost made me spill ink all over the page. I can't have that as Mr-"

"Hey! This is about me!" I cut her off.

"-Have that as Mr… er oh yes it is." She said.

"Wait…." I flicked back a couple of pages. "This is all about me! Hey, that's the time I cut of Hook's hand and fed it to the crocodile."

She came over and unwound my hands from the book. "Yes," She giggled, "it is. I was telling these stories you see one night when Father's manager was over and he thought they were so good he said I should write them all down in a book and try to publish the book. I'm going to the publisher's party on Sunday to talk with him and… wait a minute. How long are you staying Peter?"

"Staying? Erm… I was just coming to see you for the day but sure if you want me to stay I can stay for a few days." I say, excitement bubbling in my chest. A few days with Wendy in London!

"Would you stay and come to the party with me? I was going to go with Mother and Father but that's not very proper for a girl my age." She bit her lip and took my hand.

"I'd be honoured to M'Lady." I gave a mock bow and kissed her hand. She giggled and curtsied back.

"Oh my, what are you going to wear Peter?" She cried out suddenly, looking me up and down.

I looked down. "Can't I wear this to the party?"

"Oh no, Peter! We'll have to get a suit fitted. We better go right away in case they don't have your size and have to order one. In the meantime I suspect some of John's clothes will do. He's grown quite a bit so I don't think you'll be that different in size." She continued non-stop talking about her school, and that she had her own room now, and blah blah blah…. all the way down the hall and up the stairs into the nursery. "I think Nana's taken Michael outside to play for a bit," Wendy observed glancing round the empty yet very messy nursery. "You know I think John will be getting his own room in a few years to. He's quite hooked on being a doctor now and so will need the quiet and space to study."

"You're never going to stop talking are you?" I ask in the second she stopped to take a breath.

She blushed, "Sorry I just have so much to talk about!"

"I can tell," I wink teasingly at her and she huffs again.

"Anyway, here we go." She opens John's wardrobe and takes out some black trousers and a plain shirt. "These should do the trick." She hands them over. I take them.

I look at her. She looks at me.

"Well go on and try them on then." She urges.

"I can't with you stood there!"

"Oh Peter for goodness sake. I watched John pull a piece of wood out your chest." She turns round and covers her eyes nonetheless.

I grin. "Thanking you M'Lady."

She sighs.

I quickly take my tights off and put the trousers on. "They're so scratchy!" I complain.

"Oh stop acting like such a baby!"

I stick my tongue out at the back of her head.

I take off my leaf top and pull on the shirt. "Are you done yet?" Wendy asks.

"Er… yeah almost. How do you do the top thingy up?" I ask.

She sighs and turns round. "Ahh! You're invading my privacy!"

"Oh Peter for Goodness sake." She yanks me toward her and begins doing up the shirt buttons: Her fingers tickling my skin.

She pauses when she reaches my scar. Her fingers trace along the scar and I wince. "Still hurts huh?"

"Just that spot. The rest of it is fine but that spot never seemed to truly stop hurting."

She frowned and pressed her fingers against the spot. I gasped and jerked backwards, holding my hands to my chest. "Peter?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I don't think it's still supposed to hurt like that. Maybe we should pop into the doctors on the way to get your suit."

I don't answer. "Anyway," She does up the rest of the buttons, "It'll do. It's a bit short on the sleeves and the trousers look more like shorts on you but It'll do for now." She smiles at me. "Don't worry about your chest Peter- I'm sure it's nothing."

I smile back, "Okay."

"Now let's go and get this suit."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

It was crazy.

Horses neighed angrily and the streets of London were full of yapping dogs, tinkling door bells (they kind of sounded like Tinkerbell) and giggling women. Cars honked at one another and sellers shouted prices and bargains across the streets; their voices rebounding and echoing down dark alleys. I winced- "It's so loud Wendy!"

"You'll get used to it," She replied calming weaving her way through crowds, dragging me after her.

"And if I don't? London's going to burst my ear drums!"

"Haha," She turned and smiled at me. We crisscrossed through the many streets, some quieter than others. Smoke puffed out of chimneys and I gasped, looking at all the displays in the shop windows: Beautiful china dolls, chiming clocks with little birds shooting out of them, tiny, delicate music boxes- their gentle music floating through my ears.

Then I spotted a little girl, in a beautiful pale pink dress squealing with joy, holding her mother's hand, as the father came out a toy shop holding a cute cotton rag doll. She ran up to him and kissed him on the cheek- flinging her arms round him. Then the family was obscured by the crowds. Wendy tugged on my hand, "Come on Peter stop dawdling."

We dashed through the streets, great tall men in posh suits, wearing the shiniest shoes I'd ever set eyes on, doffed their caps to us and smiled, puffing smoke out from their pipes. I grinned and nodded my head in acknowledgement.

We turned some more corners.

"Er… I'm lost." I say after a while.

"Well it's good that I'm not then." Wendy replied as we crossed the road. "You'll know where we are in a minute." We passed through a small alleyway- the back of houses on each side of us. A woman hanging out her washing over the two houses above us smiled and waved at us. I gave a small wave back.

We passed through the alley and came out onto a large bustling road: Big Ben looming over us. "Know where we are now?"

"Aye!" I answered looking up at Big Ben. "Gods it looks so much bigger from down here!" I exclaimed.

Wendy giggled, "Of course it will silly! Now come on we're almost there!"

We went down the street and suddenly Wendy stopped. "Whoa!" I stumbled to a stop, almost knocking her over.

"Here we are." I looked up and saw a large sign above us saying, _Madam Aubrey's outfitters._ Wendy took my hand and pulled me inside- the bell tinkling above us. The door closed- muffling the sound of London's bustling activity.

I gasped. The shop was filled to burst with clothes of all shapes and sizes. Plain cute dresses, beautiful long puffed up dresses, sharp suits, polished shoes of brown and black, laced high heeled boots, tiny little white dresses, enormous fur hats, little pink ballet shoes and much more.

A short plump woman peeked out from behind a rack. "Oh Wendy M'dear what can I do for you?"

"Good Morning Miss Aubrey. I'm just here to pick up that party dress Mother said I was coming for, and to get this young gentlemen fitted for a suit."

"Oh course, getting ready for that party are we?" Aubrey smiled and beckoned us in. 

"Yes ma'am." Wendy answered leading me further inside the shop.

"Young Gentleman?" I snickered in her ear.

She glared at me, "Oh be quiet you."

I sniggered.

"So Wendy let's go and make sure that dress fits you," Aubrey turned to me. "I'll leave Carl to sort you out sir."

She smiled at me and led Wendy off through the back. Wendy let go of my hand and smiled at me, "I'll be back in a minute stop looking so worried."

"Yes M'Lady." I say as she disappeared through the curtain.

"So sir," I jump as a man who must be Carl shoots out from behind a corner. "What kind of suit are you looking for?"

"Oh er… just a normal one?" Oh Gods Wendy I need you!

He chuckles, "I don't think I can define the words 'normal suit'. Come and have a look at our collection and see what you fancy."

He leads me into another back room and I gasp at the array of dazzling suits: sapphire, Emerald, diamond, sun drop yellow, blood red, sunset orange, bright orange, dazzling pink, brown, coal, hurricane grey, blackest black, stripy, spotty dotty, golden, silver, sequined, plain, shiny, glistening, and the list goes on.

"Whoa!"

"Haha you look like you're new to the city, where are you from?"

"Me? Oh just Neverland." I murmur, dazed by the array of colours and patterns.

Carl frowns confused, "I've never heard of that before, must be a place near the country then, am I right?"

"Oh it's an Island."

Carl smiles, "That's nice. I get why you're so shocked then. So what do you fancy?"

"I quite like that one," I say pointing to a bright yellow and orange polka dot suit.

"Oh er okay…. Let's get it fitted then." I grin. Wait until Wendy and the lost boys see me in this!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wendy's POV:

Aubrey leads me through the back curtain and I smile as I see the dress mother and I picked out on the peg. "Oh Aubrey it's simply wonderful!" I say dashing towards it and fingering the silky lace.

"Let's try it on then!" Aubrey gushes excitedly. She helps me slide into it and does up the corset at the back. I turn to the mirror. "If it needs any more adjusting I can do it so it'll be ready for the party day, don't you worry."

"I think it fits perfectly!" I smile.

"Give us a twirl then!" She grins.

I twirl round the back room and Aubrey claps her hands in joy. "It looks beautiful on you my dear. Now go and show that beautiful young gentleman out there." She winks at me.

"Oh Peter!" I blush. "Well…. He's just coming to the party with me it's not really anything special, I mean he's nice and all and…."

She puts her finger to my lips, "You like him, he likes you, I can see it in your eyes so go out with him to the party and have a good time." Aubrey smiles at me knowingly.

"Okay," I reply softly. Did Peter really like me like _that_? Or was I just holding onto lose threads and imagining things that weren't really there. I sigh, why did he always make me so confused?

"Let's take this off and put it in a bag for you then my Dear. And I can say one thing for sure: that young man's going to get one hell of a shock when he sees you on Saturday." She winks and folds the dress up neatly before placing it inside a brown parcel and taping it up. I slide back into my grey dress and brush the few strands of my hair from my eyes. I stare at my reflection for a minute- am I really pretty?

I and Aubrey go back into the shop and into the men's section. I cry out and gasp at the sight of Peter. He and Carl are laughing hysterically about something. Carl is fitting Peter with a… a…

"My Gods Peter what in the world are you wearing!?"

He jumps, "Wendy! You like it?" He grins at me from the measuring platform. Bright coloured polka dots cover his arms and legs.

I burst out in a fit of giggles and slap a hand over my mouth, trying to stifle them.

"I choose wrong?" Peter's face of utter bewilderment and innocence is positively hilarious.

"Very wrong M'Dear," Aubrey says coming up and taking the shirt off of Peter.

Carl pauses bewildered, "What's wrong Aubrey darling?"

"What on Earth are you thinking getting this poor boy wrapped up in… well… that! He needs a proper suit I've told you a thousand times that Wendy's going to a party on Saturday and so her man will need a proper suit! You think the Darling family would ever buy something like this?"

"Oh yeah…. Your right…. I'll just go and put these away," Carl shuffles off sheepishly.

"Good idea Dear." Aubrey replies. "Now let's get you sorted out Peter Dear."

Over the next fifteen minutes we get Peter a suit sorted out and are leaving the shop.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peter's POV:

"Well that was eventful," I say to Wendy as the shop door closes behind us.

She giggles, "I've never had so much fun in a clothes shop my entire life!"

I smile and take her hand, "Now where too?"

"The doctors so he can have a look at your chest."

"Pft…" I mumble.

"Oh stop pouting you big baby!"

"Hey!" I exclaim.

She laughs and her ginger hair blows across her face. I grin mischievously and reach out to grab her waist. She squeals and takes off running down the road. I race after her, laughing as I go, I catch her up within seconds and grab her waist, tickling her. She squeals and laughs and slaps my shoulder.

"Hey!"

"Gods Peter, learn to be proper!" She giggles wrapping her arms round my neck and pulling me in for a hug, "Gods I missed you," She breathes in my ear.

"I missed you too," I reply, kissing her hair softly.

"Now let's get to this doctor shall we?"

"Yeah," I agree stepping back and smiling at her.

It takes us only about two minutes to walk to Wendy's doctor's place. Wendy and I entre and a tall man with a crisp white shirt and black trousers stands to meet us. "Wendy! How nice to see you? Is everything okay?"

"Oh everything's fine Doctor Ackerman. It's lovely to see you too. I was just wondering if you could check out Peter's chest."

"Ahh, is this the Peter you and John were telling me about last year?"

"Yes Sir, the very same one." She smiles.

The Doctor smiles at me, "Come on in then Peter." He disappears behind another curtain- what is it with Londoners and their darn curtains?

I step forward cautiously and go into the back room. "Take your shirt off and lay down for me Peter." Oh no not the buttons! Alarmed, I look across at Wendy. She quickly undoes the buttons while the Doctor's turned away and I toss off the shirt and lay down flat on my back, feeling very awkward.

The doctor comes forward and inspects the scar. "So what's been bothering you?"

"Er…" I look at Wendy.

She rolls her eyes, "Peter's been feeling a sharp pain in a certain spot above the scar," She explains.

"Ah I see." He presses his hands against my chest and feels along the scar slowly. "That hurt?" I shake my head. "Here?" I shake again. He presses down further along the scar line and I gasp and jerk, grinding my teeth. He takes his hands off my chest. "I'm guessing that hurt?" I breathe a laugh, close my eyes and nod my head.

Wendy's hand entwines itself with mine.

"Okay Peter I need to press around and see if I can feel anything out of place, can you stay still for me?" I nod. "Okay," He says. I keep my eyes closed as his fingers press hard against my chest." I whimper as sharp pain shoots down my spine. "Hold on Peter," He presses hard again and moves his hand across the scar; I yelp in pain. He releases his hand and strides over to his desk.

I crack open my eyes, Wendy's glancing down at me with a concerned expression. I smile and squeeze her hand.

"Right so Peter it seems that when you broke your ribs with that shaft of wood a fragment broke off and has been floating round your chest for a year without you realising. " Wendy gasps horrified.

"Really?" I say, "That's weird…" So that's why I haven't been able to sleep on my front….

"We need to get that fragment out though. It won't be a long procedure- we'll sedate you and it'll only take about half an hour but the sooner the better." The Doctor looks at Wendy.

"Can we wait till after Saturday?"

"Of Course Wendy, if that's alright with you Peter?"

I nod.

"I'll book you in for Sunday morning. A boy your age won't take a long time to recover either." He smiles at me. I smile back.

"Okay, let's go then Peter." I get up and pull on my shirt, Wendy does up the buttons.

We're half way out before the Doctor calls out, "Oh and Wendy-"

"Yes?"

"Make sure he takes it easy won't you?"

She grins, "Yes doctor."

"Hey!" I mumble. The Doctor grins knowingly and we close the door gently behind us.

"Well at least we can get it sorted now." Wendy says as we walk back to the Darling house.

"Yeah…. Oh and Wendy?"

"Hmm?"

"What's sedation?"

"Oh the doctor will just give you a small shot of a drug and it'll relax you for a bit. You won't be properly asleep but you'll be like… half-asleep."

"Okay…"

She smiles and takes my hand, leaning her head against my shoulder. I smile and rest my head atop of hers as we slowly meander back to the Darling house.

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Any criticism is welcome. I really have no idea when the next chapter will be up but I'll try and get another one up before the Easter Holls:D Don't forget to review! I hope you guys are having a lovely half term_


	5. Chapter 5- Saviour

_Hey guys! Long-time no see huh? Hehe… I can only apologise and blame year 11- the haunted year of GCSE's!- for having not updated this in literally a year and a half… wow… time sure does fly by when you're studyingXD ( And also blame anime for taking over my fanfiction account lolXD)_

 _Anyways… this story shall be continuing along with hopefully all my other fanfictions, I will finish them all and not a single fanfiction will be abandoned! It will just take a long time… perhaps many years…:P_

 _So hope you enjoy this new chappie!XD_

Chapter 5- Saviour

The streets were quieter when we finally made it back, and the sun was starting to dip below the strings of houses that made up London's horizon, painting the sky with pinks and yellows.

"Just in time for tea!" Wendy sighed complacently as we mounted the steps to the Darling family's door.

"Wait… are your parents okay with me just coming in and like… living with you until Saturday? I mean… I did kinda like steal you for a few months last year…" I trailed off and looked at her, my face open and vulnerable looking in the gentle light of twilight, my own words _until Saturday_ ringing over and over in my ears. I didn't want it to be just until Saturday… I wanted it to be in Neverland, and forever.

"Of course Peter," she replied softly, are eyes flickering across my face, as if she was examining a piece of art, I mean of course I'm a piece of art, I'm Peter Pan I'm practically a God but…

"What?" I asked a slight smile playing on my lips, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing," She licked her lips.

We stared at each other in awkward silence.

"Right," She whipped round, "Tea time!" And with that she flounced into the house.

I waited a single moment, shook my head and then tentatively stepped into the hallway.

"Peter's here to stay with us! Can he stay for tea?" Wendy's voice echoed through the hallway and I stepped closer, "I shouldn't really pile all this on at once but he just turned up at the window, I bought him a suit, I hope that's okay, out of my savings of course. Oh and the dress fits! He's joining me at the party on Saturday (that's why he has the suit see) and you know so I don't look like one of those lonely, miserable young women…" Wendy's voice continued in a blur of sound from the dining room and I crept in behind her.

Mrs Darling was staring with mild surprise at Wendy's outburst but was listening to her beloved daughter attentively as she sat atop the piano stool. Mr Darling had been sat at the desk at the end of the dining room, counting money and was frowning at his daughter excessively. Michael and Nana were nowhere to be seen but John was sat at the dining table, (a large oak one that seated at least eight and stretched across the large cosily furnished room), with a pile of papers and books open before him; he was studying no doubt, with excitement spread across his young face.

When I stepped foot on the heavy burgundy carpet John leapt up, "Peter!" He cried, silencing Wendy's babbling immediately, and bounded towards me.

I grinned, "Long time no see Dr!"

I assumed he was going in for a manly slap on the back, or little play-fight, or even going to grab the wooden swords in the umbrella holder (that I'd quickly spotted on my way into the room in the corner by the door) and have a man to man match as a way of greeting. So I was no doubt shocked speechless when he barrelled into my arms to give me a hug.

"John," I exclaimed, purely out of surprise.

"Peter! I missed you and the boys so much! It's kind of been boring without all the adventures we had," He let go of me and looked up, well sort of looked up.

"You've grown," I commented, his eyes were practically level with my own, even being a year younger than me in age.

"Yeah," He looked down at himself, frowning "I suppose I have, a little."

"A lot," I corrected with an almost sad smile; I didn't want John to grow up, I didn't want anyone to grow up, I wanted everyone to always be children and to have fun, with no regard to adulthood issues or… dare I say it... feelings. With that thought I glanced inconspicuously at Wendy, her face all shining like a star at the sight of us boys.

"Well sir, it's nice to see you again," and John held out his hand in welcome, taking a step back.

I took it and gave it a firm shake, "You too my young man."

At the noun 'man' his face lit up.

"Well then! John, clear up your books, and Wendy dear would you mind telling Liza to prepare an extra plate for dinner?" These were the first words George Darling had spoken. I'd retained a rather dry view of the man from before, he was the man who scorned at adventure and magic after all, but his face was cheery and his body language open towards me.

I nodded at him, "Thank you sir."

"Peter, how about you sit next to Wendy dear?" Mrs Darling stood up and led me to a chair. I sat down and there was an awkward silence as John left the room to take his books upstairs and Wendy left to tell Liza about the 'extra plate' needed.

"So Peter," Mr Darling sat down at the head of the table, and then paused before blurting out, "Who exactly are you?"

"The boy who never grows up," I exclaimed proudly.

He paused and laid his hands on the table in front of him, "Ah, I see."

Another pause.

"I'm going to help Liza with tea," Mrs Darling left the room hurriedly.

Mr Darling cleared his throat. "What exactly are your intentions with my daughter? You can't exactly-well- seem to stay away from her." He said somewhat awkwardly, but eyes pierced into me and I felt an odd sensation, almost as if I was standing naked in front of him: a feeling of being examined intensely.

"I think your daughter is an incredible person, and I enjoy having adventures with her, I just wished for one more. That's why I've come."

"Another _adventure_ huh?"

"Yes sir."

"My Daughter is a young woman, not a little girl." He said stiffly.

"I'm aware of that sir." I gulped.

"Good." Another pause. "Don't mess up her night on Saturday; this is her big chance to show the world her writing skills. I'm leaving her in your hands Peter."

"I won't sir; I'll guard her with my life!" I proclaimed, surprised he'd managed to perfectly understand Wendy's rapid and confusing tale of events from earlier.

He paused, "I was meaning more… how shall I put it? Don't say anything stupid… like about fairies or pirates." He smiled knowingly for a second before his expression returned to one of sternness. "That's all Peter. I don't believe in magic, I am a man of fact, but I do believe in my daughter and her stories." He finished.

"Yes sir," I couldn't think of anything other than that to say at that point. To be fair his words confused me, he didn't believe in magic or Neverland, but yet he believed Wendy? So he did believe in magic? I looked up and frowned at him, "Sir…" I began with no real thought to what I was actually going to say.

"Hm?" He looked at me expectantly.

I opened my mouth but no words fell out.

However, I was thankfully saved by the sound of feet thudding down the corridor, the burst of the dining room door opening, and the sight of Michael standing in the doorway, teddy bear clutched in one hand and two wooden swords in the other.

"Onguard!" He cried, throwing one sword at me and grasping the other tightly in his fist.

Immediately springing up I leapt at the sword, gripping it tight in my right hand, and somersaulted right down in front of him, "Avast ye!"

He smirked, "Not bad, Peter Pan!" He called out mischievously, swinging the sword down. I rapidly shifted aside and deflected the weak blow, bless the little lad, and returned an equally weak one. But it seems I'd underestimated him as his little feet came crashing down on my own, a little trick I'd played on Hook a few times, and I yelped as pain shot up my leg from my foot.

"Oy!" I cried out, whipping my sword to meet his with a crack!

"Careful boys! Watch the lamp!" Mr Darling winced at the sound. I stood back and turned to apologise but while my back was turned Michael jabbed his sword into my bottom.

My jaw dropped, "You little monkey!" I whipped round and thwacked my sword against his. He giggled and we clashed our wooden swords together for at least another thirty seconds until Wendy, Mary and John returned to the room.

"Peter! Michael! Not in the dining room!" Wendy exclaimed, walking up swiftly and snatching the wood off us both mid action. We both looked at the ground and mumbled an apology under our breaths.

"Aw! Wendy dear I was enjoying watching that fight!" Mr Darling tutted, "Although… they did nearly take out the lamp once or twice."

"Yay! Father enjoyed it! Wendy's boring!" Michael giggled cheekily and ran over to Mr Darling, who scooped him onto his lap.

"Now Michael, don't be so rude, Wendy was only being mature." He winked at me, "You know Peter that adults can be childish too."

That was the first thing anyone had said to me in a long time that really hit something in me; a chord shifted somewhere. _Adults can be childish too._ Adults: the creatures that scorn at fun, work in offices, don't play, don't go on adventures, could be childish? Could have imaginations? It wasn't possible, I couldn't grow up and at the same time stay a little boy… the responsibilities would come, the feelings… the confusion…

The meal was a good one, not only because of the food, but because of the people: we talked of John's studies and Wendy's book, about what the party would be like come Saturday, and I told them all about my newest adventures with the lost boys, which Wendy, I noticed, noted down with a pencil on a notebook obscured by the table. Mr Darling then told a few bad jokes, "A skeleton walks into a bar, orders a mop and a beer." He seemingly began.

Everyone paused, waiting tensely for the punchline. "That's it," Mr Darling spoke out after a minute.

"What?"

"The joke, a skeleton walks into a bar, orders a mop and a beer." He looked at them all with glistening eyes, rather expectantly.

They just looked back at him blankly.

"You'll get it one day!" He sighed.

And so the evening went on, but those words had troubled me, _Adults can be childish too._ I shook my head- no- you can't catch me and make me a man.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

The days melted into each other, I played with Michael some days and others Wendy spent hours teaching me to write. I was a hopeless student but I soon began to remember all that I'd forgotten from a lost lifetime, remember how to spell, phonics- the knowledge of reading had seemingly not been lost in my brain over time- simple maths. Even Mr Darling showed me how to multiply, divide, add and subtract large numbers. It was even fun, this normal life.

Wendy was again sat with me on Saturday afternoon, the sun was shining through the windows of her small but homely bedroom, and I sat, my face screwed up in concentration over a book.

"Think about it Peter, b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l." She sounded out.

"B…e…u…t-i-f-u-l?" I wrote down, looking up at her questioningly.

"Not quite, it has an 'a' in it, there," She pointed on the paper and our hands brushed against each other.

"Ah… I see…."

"Don't question the English language Peter," She replied, seeing straight through my pretend understanding, "just learn it, there's no logic to it." A stray strand of hair fell across her eyes and she blew out, shifting it from hiding her view. She noticed me watching her, "Why are you always staring?"

"Why are you always noticing?"

She sighed, but a smile played along the edges of her lips, "Because you're always staring."

I gazed at her and she looked back at me, her crystal sapphire eyes pierced into my own.

"Peter… are you going to leave after tonight?" She began suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Go back to Neverland and then I won't see you again for a year… or more…" She tucked the piece of hair behind her ear as again it fell across her eyes.

"I…I do-"

"Wendy!" Mary Darling called out loudly from down the stairs.

"Yes mother!?" Wendy sprang up, "I'll be back in a minute… try spelling… erm… minute!"

I breathed a laugh (half a sigh of relief that the previous question had been ignored… for now). Did I want to stay with Wendy? Of course. Could I leave Neverland and the lost boys? Never.

I sighed, pressed my fingers hard into my temples, and then set about trying to figure the word out. But before I'd even written the 'min' she was back, "Peter! My goodness it's five O'clock already, we need to be ready for six!" And I was escorted out the room by John and up to the nursery.

"Your suit my good man!" John pronounced handing me the suit Wendy had bought earlier in the week, pushing up his glasses with a nod, and leaving me alone to put it on. I gulped, no Wendy to do up the buttons, or undo the buttons to get the shirt off the hanger in the first place even.

It took twenty minutes, but eventually I'd figured out their tactics and the buttons were beaten, my fingers trailed along the scar that stretched endlessly across my chest, did I really have a piece of wood floating around in there? I mean the doctor had said it would be small but… wasn't that the kind of thing that gave you what they call an infection? I shook my head, it was hopeless trying to understand John's studies; they were simply too confusing. I tied up the buttons as my prisoners, obscuring the scar, and I left the room.

Mrs Darling fussed about me in the corridor for another twenty minutes, and rather motherly did up my bow tie, placed 'cufflinks' (whatever they were) on my shirt and slicked back my wild hair with Mr Darling's hair stuffs. I let her fuss, although hated the fact my hair looked so neat by the end of it. I half wanted to run my hands through it and mess it all up again, return it to its former wild glory, but I didn't want all of Mrs Darling's hard work to be for nothing.

But I forgot about all that when she walked down the stairs.

It was a pale yellow, but not wash- out yellow, a pastel yellow, and the bodice was tight around her breast, exemplifying her already stunning figure. White lace stretched across the bodice and was entwined with sparkling jewels that seemed to wink at me every time she breathed, as if her whole dress was alive. The dress fell to her feet, and the edges of her black heeled, buttoned up shoes peeped out from beneath it. Her bronze hair was the picture of artwork, half done up in an elaborate braid, wrapped around in a bun, while the rest fell in curls round her shoulder, coming to rest against her breast. Her eyes seemed to shine with something different when they fell upon me, something I'd never seen before: the only way I can think to describe it is as feverish but not in an ill or uncontrolled way, in a beautiful way. Her lips, a part of her I'd never really looked at before, not in detail, not like that, looked like scarlet rose petals both in texture and colour. Her face was natural and breath-taking, that tell-tale smile forever playing on her lips.

"M' Lady," I bowed, rendered too stupefied to do anything else.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs she dropped in a curtesy and held out her hand, "You're the picture of a gentleman." She said, even her voice sounded like angels singing on that night.

"And you the picture of the sun," I replied, finding my voice at last.

She giggled, "Oh Peter."

I grinned back at her and took hold of her hand, wrapping her arm around mine gently.

Mr Darling sniffed and Mrs Darling handed him a handkerchief. "Stay safe you two, and go and publish that book of yours!"

And with that we stepped out into the twilight, the large hand of Big Ben ticking up to the hour. Nerves fluttered momentarily about my stomach, tonight I was representative of Wendy, of her standards. The manager had loved the book, but he needed also to have faith and trust in Wendy if she wanted to make a career out of her adventures; I was not going to be the one to mess it up for her.

"Let's go," I breathed in deeply, proud to be the one taking Wendy to the party, proud to have her parents place that trust in me, and with a skip in my step I went to lead her down the street. Nevertheless, she dug her heels into the cobbles halting us.

I turned and frowned at her.

"Wendy, what's the matter?"

Was she nervous too? Giving up? Had she changed her mind and no longer wanted me to take her to the party?

"Erm… the manager's house is that way…" She trailed off pointing in the other direction.

"Right!" I shook my head; of course Wendy wouldn't give up! Of course she wouldn't suddenly change her mind, what was I thinking? I turned round and lead her down the street in the other direction, my face flushing pink.

She sniggered.

"Stop being so un-lady-like," I whispered back.

She let out a sound of indignation and I giggled immaturely.

"Wow, Peter, how grown up of you!"

"Well… I am a boy." I smiled, but her face dropped ever so slightly at these words.

"Indeed."

"And adults can be childish sometimes too!" I added.

She let the smile on her lips have some freedom at that point, "Yes- they can be."

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter guys! Did anyone spot the POTC reference?;P I know a certain someone reading this will…XD_

 _Anyways I have a few collaborations on my hands atm so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, hopefully in less time than a year and a half;)_

 _Don't forget to review! Constructive criticism always welcome:))))))_

 _Acia xxx_


	6. Chapter 6- An Adventure

Chapter 6- An adventure

The walls were painted with a deep royal purple, a heavy colour that seemed to raise the whole value of the house up a notch, a value you wouldn't get if it had been the same paint in a colour such as blue. Large portraits of men in noticeably expensive suits lined the sides of the immense room with the same stern and self-absorbed expression, all but one. The last painting, situated at the head of the room, was of a softer looking face, where the artist had skilfully captured the twinkle of love and passion in his dark chocolate brown eyes. He still had the suit, but his fluffy white hair kind of degraded the whole 'I have to look stern and smart and controlled because I'm an Edwardian gentleman' look.

I decided I liked whoever he was.

The place was packed; there were women in elaborate dresses of all shapes and sizes, many with string pulled taunt around their waists and the upper bodice pushed out around their breasts; it looked a bit unnatural to be fair.

"The latest fashion- not really my style," Wendy murmured in my ear as we stepped slowly through the room.

"Yeah… I can tell…" I replied quietly, raising my eyebrows at their weird shape.

Wendy smirked at my facial expression, but I was too busy watching as the men bowed to the ladies on the marble dance floor and they began to slowly twirl and turn as I'd seen the fairies do in dances so many times before in their celebrations.

Then it hit me.

They were dancing.

Nearly all of them.

"I can't dance." I whispered blankly, "I can do fairy conga but I usually just watch!" Dread slowly began to suck out the contents of my stomach, leaving it a nervous empty pit, was I expected to dance? Was Wendy expecting me to dance?

"Me neither." She whispered back, matter of fact.

"Liar I've seen you dance when telling your stories," I winked at her.

"Yes but it's bloody awful, I mean my footwork is entirely wrong!" She exclaimed somewhat posh. "I only ever dance inside the curtains of my own home."

Briskly relaxing, I let my eye wander to other entertainment. Waiters and maids calmly dodged the crowds of people, smoothly slipping past them like ghosts, completely unnoticed by the crowd.

"Don't they join in?" I asked Wendy curiously.

"No- they're servants. They're expected to stay out of the way, that's just how our society is. It's not really fair but… we're just lucky daddy's a banker, and a well- respected one at that." She looked up at me and for a moment I had a terrible envision of Wendy, slipping through the crowds like that, dressed up in all black- such a drab and lifeless colour- with a solemn and drained expression on her face, like those I was watching from across the room right now. "Life isn't fair Peter." Wendy said softly.

"No… it's too _short_ ," I replied, my thoughts once again flickering to my next move, stay with Wendy? Yes. Leave Neverland? No.

We wandered further in; many of the people were smiling at Wendy in recognition and greeting me with a warm but inquisitive stare. I gulped, once again feeling examined.

The ground we were walking on, the carpet itself, was lush and poufy, it sprang up when my feet left them to take a step forward and I was momentarily entranced by the way it moulded into the shape of everybody's feet, and then slowly stretched out to its previous state.

"Peter," Wendy nudged my arm and arched her neck distinctively in the direction of a fluffy white haired man in the corner. "That's the manager." She mumbled her voice a lot quieter than usual.

"Shall we go up to him?" I asked her.

"Erm… maybe later…" She giggled strangely and brushed her hair from her face, going to head off in the opposite direction.

With a mischievous smile I tugged her back, "No, I think we should talk to him now." I winked at her maliciously.

"I hate you Peter, hypothetically," She replied her voice rushed and dotted with nerves.

"I love you too," I winked and led her to the dark chocolate eyed man, really, how scary could he be?

I cleared my throat and went to tap the man on the shoulder, who was at that moment engaged with another audience of older respectable civilians, but Wendy squeaked and tugged my hand back, her eyes burning with the words, "No! Do not tap him on the shoulder you idiot!"

I shrugged, half laughing inside at her flustered expression.

But the man had heard her squeak and turned round to look at us both, "Ah Wendy! How lovely to see you!" He exclaimed, nodding his head at her respectfully, his voice was unruffled by age giving the impression that he was still living in his youth, despite his aged face.

"Yes sir," She squeaked, and then cleared her throat before continuing in a stronger tone of voice, "I came about the book."

"Oh yes! A work of art this young lady is," The manager explained to those around him, "Such an incredible story teller and crafter!"

The people around us all nodded at Wendy politely, but everyone was acting so restrained, in the same boring old way; nodding politely, smiling at one another in a sort of stuck-up way that made me immediately distasteful of them. Well, I suppose I was surrounded by grown-ups.

"And who are you young gentleman?" The manager turned to me kindly, his eyes sparkling with fun as they landed on me.

"Peter," I replied, placing my hands on my hips, "Peter Pan!"

A couple of the women giggled, "Oh that old fairy-tale!"

"Oh yes that child was called Peter Pan too wasn't he!"

"You'd have thought our younger generation would've let go of silly old tales like those, wouldn't you?"

"My dear this isn't a game, you're at a dinner party, what is your actual name?" An old, pinched nosed woman spelt out for me, bending down ever so slightly so she was my height.

"My name is Peter Pan." I replied stiffly, ignoring the frustration that was smouldering and glowering in the pit of my stomach. This was Wendy's night; I was to stay _calm_ and _respectable_.

"You little liar!" She exclaimed, "That is not a name! It is a fairy tale!" Her eyes were a cold and drab green, like sick. I opened my mouth to tell her just that but then Wendy butted in.

"Ma'am that is his name, clearly his mother liked the fairy tale so much she gave him the name Peter Pan."

They all paused and looked at her.

"Yes, I see no reason why that can't be his name, although an odd one at that." The manager said in a solid and commanding voice.

They all nodded and smiled once more in that stuck-up way.

But I got no apologies.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must talk business with Miss Darling."

They all began to disperse.

Wendy and I both sighed, "Thank you." I whispered under my breath to her.

"No, thank you for not getting so angry you flew to through the rooftops." She replied hurriedly.

The manager chuckled, "What an odd expression Wendy!"

She breathed a laugh, "I suppose."

"What 'fairy tale' were they on about?" I frowned at them both.

"There was a fairy tale a long time ago that a boy from this world died, and was so young and adventurous that he was tasked with carrying dead children from this world to the next," Wendy paused, smiling softly, "So they wouldn't be scared. People called him Peter Pan. That's how I knew your shadow." She grinned, and then squeaked realising she'd said too much.

"His shadow?" The manager asked.

"A story in my book!" She laughed it off hastily.

"Oh yes I remember reading that one!" He laughed too, but his eyes were twinkling with a knowing spark.

"So, this book of yours…" The manager started, leading us to some armchairs in the corner of the room. "Are you prepared to publish it?"

"Oh yes! I'd love to! I'm in the final chapter now so it should be finished by Tuesday, then I just need to proof read it and then…" She trailed off.

"And then I believe we can get the printing press out?" He winked and her face broke out in a huge smile.

"I thought I'd have to persuade you to publish it or something!" She cried, then paused, "Not that I'd ever-"

"Wendy dear I decided to publish that book of yours the moment I read the first chapter, it's extraordinary. Such an imagination you have."

Her eyes shimmered, "I like to think imagination is more real than just make-believe."

I turned to her and our eyes met; they twinkled mischievously, as if she was saying _our little secret._

"Of course." He smiled, "How long is it? The book; how many pages?" He asked, taking out a little notepad and pencil.

"About three hundred and it's handwritten; I don't have a typewriter; they're ever so expensive nowadays." She murmured to him, leaning forward as if it were some big secret that typewriters were expensive.

"Oh I know Wendy dear, but to be perfectly honest a story written from hand is so much more magical." He whispered back.

I paused then, the twinkle in his eye looking ever so familiar, as if from a dream, if only for a moment. He looked at me and winked.

Wendy grinned, "So it's not massive, but I'm hoping I can bring out a sequel… If the first book does well that is." She continued as if there had been no break in her speech.

"I'm sure it will." He replied, squeezing her hand softly.

"Sir, Mayor Carter is here to see you," A waiter came up quickly, seemingly out of breath, "Sorry to disturb." He added hastily.

"No worries Arthur," The manager turned to us, "If you'll excuse me, I'll see you on Tuesday with the book then Wendy?"

She nodded, and with that he left.

"Well that went well!" She turned to me and grinned, her eyes completely lit up, and the vibrant dress only added to her exultant look.

I beamed, "You did it!"

"Dance with me." She jumped up.

"What?" I replied, dumbfounded.

"Dance with me." She repeated, "I can relax! I've done what I came here to do and it's only 7:30, the party doesn't finish until 11! We may as well enjoy it!"

"I can't dance!" I half wailed petrified.

She loosened up her over excited self, and held out her hand, "I can teach you- I may be rubbish myself but I know the rules of dance." Dropping a curtesy, as she'd done what felt like years ago in the nursery, she asked, "May I have this dance?"

"You may," I replied, standing and bowing down to her, my whole body quivering, "I'm going to embarrass you, I just know it." I sang in her ears as I led her to the dance floor.

"Peter, I don't care for any of these stuck up upper class people or what they think of me and my 'dancing talent'. I'm only classed as a middle class person anyway."

I frowned, "Yeah…" I nodded, pretending to understand all these 'classes'.

But then we were there, the dance floor stretched out, not that big in size, but full of twirling people.

"You know, we could get lost in here," I murmured in her ear.

"Then let's get lost!" She replied, her eyes shining as they looked at me. But then she gasped as she spotted something behand me, and she sped off.

"Wendy?" I turned to watch her as she nipped up to a waiter holding a tray of something, nicked two of whatever was on the tray and returned.

"Wendy, what're you-"

But then my mouth was suddenly full of the most luxurious thing I'd ever tasted. It had a soft and silky texture that crumbled away in my mouth and coated my whole tongue in a spell-binding taste. I frowned at her as she popped her own into her mouth.

"What-?" I began.

"Shh!" She swallowed, "Don't talk with your mouth full!"

I huffed and swallowed; the salty, sweet taste ran down my throat and lingered on my tongue.

"Chocolate." She responded, before I could ask once more, "The best creation since sliced bread!"

I didn't understand that phrase either but I laughed nonetheless and captured her waist in my hands.

"I can maybe put years of watching the fairies into practice." I winked.

Her sapphire eyes seemed to wink and twinkle at me as the lights from the chandelier above reflected in her deep sea eyes.

She wrapped her hands around my neck and we stepped to the side, and then I stepped forward- no Wendy was going forward- wait- she trod on my feet and she burst into giggles, "Shh!" I reproached her, my foot stinging with pain.

She composed herself and we began again, to the side and then I go back and she comes forward, and then to the side and then the other way and then twirl!

I spun her round and let her dip, my hand holding her weight as it rested on the small of her back. Her hair tickled the floor and she closed her eyes dreamily. My eyes ablaze with happiness, I lifted her back up to me and she fell into my chest, "Well that worked," She grinned at me.

"Oh the cleverness of me." I replied, falling again into the steps.

The music was fast paced and yet slow at the same time, the violins, piano and other strange flute like instruments worked their magic and sent a spell over the dance floor.

I felt my feet start to drift off the floor, but Wendy yanked me kindly back down, "You can't!" She whispered, her eyes laughing at me.

"I'm happy!" I retorted, spinning her round again. This time Wendy let herself spin away from me and her dress twirled round, failing to keep up with her, attracting the eyes of other dancers and couples.

I pulled her back into me and we stepped to it again. People were gathering round now, she trod on my foot again, "Sorry!" She whispered, nearly laughing again.

"Wow, you just go ahead and laugh at my pain," I murmured sarcastically.

"I said sorry!" She repeated, but we were both grinning like Cheshire cats.

The music got steadily louder, the beat picking up the pace.

We continued, despite the fact people that had begun to crowd around the dance floor, and the horror of our footwork was partly concealed by Wendy's dress (thank god).

"People are watching," Wendy whispered, we stumbled and she dissolved into giggles again, nervous ones this time.

"I'm always being watched, I mean…" I flicked my hair back as I released one hand to twirl her again and she spun across the dance floor.

I raced to catch her up and pulled her to me, "…Who wouldn't want to watch me."

"You're so cocky."

"I'm so smart."

"You're so silly."

"I'm a god."

"I highly doubt it."

"An angel!"

"A fool."

"A prodigy!"

"An adventure!" She whispered.

I let her drop back into my arms again, let the very tips of her hair race along the floor before I pulled her back up, "I am Peter Pan." I murmured, and it was then that I felt the pull, an overwhelming desire to kiss her, to scoop her completely into my arms and run my lips across her own.

I took a step back, hurriedly, suddenly afraid of that feeling.

The music finished with a flourish.

"Peter?" Wendy frowned.

The people around us clapped; a loud roaring sound: uncomfortable, overwhelming.

What was that feeling? I mean I'd kissed her before in the depths of the Jolly Roger, but I'd never felt like this. My heart twanged and I took a few steadying breaths.

"Footwork could do with a bit of work but you two do indeed look an item," The manager said loudly, watching us from the side lines.

I smiled and took Wendy's hand, bowing to the crowd as Wendy curtseyed beautifully.

We raced away from the centre of attention and the band struck up another tune.

"Peter? What was that?"

"A beautiful dance." I replied, smiling softly and squeezing her hand.

"You looked terrified." She replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"On the dance floor, when you whispered your name," She spoke quietly but with a sense of underlying urgency.

"It was nothing."

"Your chest?" She sighed and looked up apologetically, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked you to dance."

"No," I brushed her apology aside, "It's not my chest," Although now she'd mentioned it was aching slightly.

"No, I'm sorry, I was supposed to get you rest before tomorrow and all I've done is-"

"Wendy! You were happy, I had such a good time out there please stop apologising!"

"Then why did you look so scared?"

"Because…" Because I was feeling something? Something other than happiness and joy… I was feeling a desire, a pull… love?

"Because… I was scared of the people watching."

I knew she knew I was lying.

But she didn't press it; instead she smiled and brushed the bangs from my eyes. "Let's go and grab something to eat."

We didn't dance again, I asked her to, but she said one dance was enough for my chest. Once again Hook had a hold over me. But I soon forgot about the little hiccup, as children always do, and enjoyed the evening with Wendy.

The clock struck eleven and as we were going out the door Wendy turned to the manager, "Thank you for such a lovely evening."

"Oh not at all Wendy, I look forward to Tuesday."

She smiled, "So do I."

"And it was nice seeing you again Peter."

"Again?"

"You most likely don't recognise me, Captain Pan."

I froze, "Tickle?" His eyes pierced into my own, the splitting image of a young boy of nine. He always did have wispy hair, but it used to be a dirty blonde, but his eyes, his eyes had never changed.

"Yes, I suppose I was always very ticklish back then, I still am if you get me in the right place!" He chuckled.

"You were a lost boy," Wendy gasped.

"Yes, but those stories of yours captured Neverland more beautifully than I could ever imagine. They brought back a lot of memories." He smiled softly.

"I forgot you," I said, "I forgot…"

"I said goodbye Peter. I went away; that is why you forgot."

"You changed." I said.

"No… not all of me." And he pointed to his chest, and then to his eyes. "I still have my old spirit in me; we don't lose ourselves when we grow old Peter, we just get new parts to ourselves; like new skin cells when we grow taller," He smiled again, "But new figurative parts too, new feelings, new aspirations, and new responsibilities. And that makes us seem much different."

I started at him, "Like you got wise?"

He chuckled, "Not that wise son. But I'd love to see you grow up Peter."

I frowned, "No. I'm never growing up."

Wendy stiffened next to me.

"I think you already are." I stared at the manager, my old friend tickle; I couldn't even remember how he'd left, there had been so many of them. So many lost boys.

I turned away, "Goodnight, old friend."

He smiled, "G'night, Captain Pan."

And with that we left, the door closing behind us, trapping me in the cold night.

 _Hey guys! Thanks for reading:P_

 _Hope you enjoyed this last chappie!XD As always I have no idea when the next one will be up, I need to work a bit more on my Haikyuu fanfic so I might have limited time to work on this one:)))_

 _Constructive criticism always welcome:D Don't forget to review!_

 _Acia xxx_


	7. Chapter 7- Tick Tock

_I'm on a roll! Two chapters in two days!XD Hope you enjoy this next chappie!:)))_

Chapter 7- Tick Tock

I lay in the soft bed, the white sheets caressing my skin, and waited.

"The doctor shouldn't be long," Wendy said, smiling down at me. The guest room was warm and cosy, the wallpaper was of rose and scarlet coloured flowers, and the bedsheets had a similar pin tinge to it. It felt like home.

The doorbell rang and Mrs Darling left the room in a hurry to get it.

"Speak of the devil," I muttered.

Wendy breathed a laugh, "You're okay aren't you?"

"I'm fine Wendy, Peter Pan scared of a doctor? I mean okay yes we usually play games that involve the doctor being the bad guy but…"

Wendy giggled, "Doctor's aren't bad people."

"Yeah but… if you need a doctor it means you're sick, which is bad. And doctors always make you hurt before they make you better." I bit my lip, I mean I had a tiny flutter of nerves, but I'd been faced with much worse, Hook's bomb, for example. This was merely an aftereffect.

"You're scared." Wendy said all matter of fact, leaning back in her chair.

"Am not!" I cried.

"Are too! I can tell!" She leaned forward.

"How?"

"Mother's touch!" She exclaimed somewhat smug, leaning back in her chair once more. I huffed and she laughed again, loosening any tension in my body, "You'll be okay."

"I know I will."

The door opened and in stepped Dr Ackerman, "Peter! How are you?"

"Erm… ill?"

Wendy face palmed.

"He's been fine doctor," Mary Darling ushered him into the room and the guest room door shut with a snap behind her.

The doctor smiled at me and took the opposite side of the bed to Wendy, laying his bag down on the tableside.

"Have you done any activity over the past few days that may have caused any swelling?"

Wendy blushed, "I danced with him last night; I'm so sorry doctor! I didn't even think I was-"

He held up a hand and she closed her mouth with an audible 'snap!' "It's fine Wendy, I just need to know if he has, so I know what to except when I get in there."

 _Get in there._

I grimaced. This was worse than when John tore the original wood shaft from my chest! It was far too intense.

I took a deep breath.

"So Peter, I'm going to get out something called chloroform, and a chloroform inhaler."

"'Kay…" I responded, clicking my tongue like a clock.

The doctor got out his equipment and Wendy and Mary smiled at me; their faces were tight and nervous and they were both wringing their hands together, almost in tune with each other. Like mother, like daughter. The doctor poured something into a basin and rinsed his hands in it.

"Why's everyone being so quiet?" I whispered.

Mary and Wendy both jumped.

"So Peter, what are you going to do for the rest of your stay in London?"

"Peter, I never asked about how Slightly was doing?"

They both blurted out at the same time.

I snorted with laughter, "You two are more scared than me!"

Wendy blushed, "Well…" She brushed the usual stray piece of hair from my eyes, "I'm allowed to be," and then she leant down and whispered in my ear, "I was your mother once."

I turned to her and whispered back, "I thought I was the father…" my eyes sparkling mischievously.

"I can still be worried, as long as you're family." My ear tickled with her breath, but I sighed and my eyes lost their sparkle.

Why did I feel disheartened by that answer? Was I expecting a different answer?

"Right Peter, this may feel a little strange when you take it, it has a rather exquisite taste does chloroform vapour and it may make your head feel rather heavy." The doctor explained kindly, holding a metal object above me. "Just sit up a smidge for me please Peter lad." The doctor's voice was calming and soothing, just the sound of it made me want to fall asleep.

I raised myself and he placed my mouth into the inhaler, the metal curved around my mouth, it was quite exciting really, but terrifying at the same time.

"Okay stay nice and calm for me Peter, and breath in nice and slowly for me, just twice."

I breathed in once and a sickly sweet taste coated my mouth and sucked out all moisture from my throat, drying it out, I coughed at the unpleasantness and the doctor momentarily took the inhaler from my mouth.

Immediately I felt drowsy, my hands unfurled on the bedcovers and my eye lids drooped; black spots began to cover up my vision…

No! This was like when I'd passed out on Hook's ship, and I'd woken to find John with tools above my chest and the worst pain imaginable: a searing hot pain that had drowned my chest, as if I was being burnt alive from the inside out. _It's not real,_ I told myself, _it's just an illusion, it's just an illusion; he's gone! Hook's gone!_

The doctor went to put the inhaler to my mouth once more, but in my half-conscious state all I could see was Hook.

Michael went to smash the bomb into his head but no! Smee had grabbed him; Hook was coming towards me, Hook instead of a right hand, poised to strike.

"Peter! Peter calm down!" Wendy cried at me from where she was being held captive on the starboard side.

I turned to her, _calm down?_ I needed to get up, I needed to fight him, not calm down! I forced myself up and Hook glowered at me and bent down to my level; he placed his Hook below my neck, "You will kiss this boot Pan," He hissed. And he drove my head into his golden buckled boots.

I cried out as pain blossomed inside my head.

Then I felt his Hook, that cold metal, cover my mouth, and felt an odd sickly taste crawl all over my mouth.

I spluttered.

Then everything went black.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I woke with a start, my eyes shooting open and my head jerking up.

Then I regretted the quick wake up as my head immediately began to pound in anger; I groaned and tossed my head to a colder side of the pillow.

"Peter?" I heard a somewhat muffled voice ask.

I shifted my head and looked up, a blurred version of the doctor stood above me; I squinted and reached out my hand, as if that would make the image miraculously come into focus.

The doctor's hand closed around my own and he eased it back onto the covers and tilted my head up, icy water ran down my throat, soothing the scratchiness and I sighed, my vision beginning to clear up.

"Doctor Ackerman…" I coughed.

"Yes lad," He laid a cold cloth over my head, far more skilfully than any of the lost boys ever had the previous year.

"Did it work?" My voice was slurred and croaky.

"Yes son, the fragment's all out, and you've only been out for roughly two hours so that's all good."

"Thanks..."

"That's alright, now you try to get some rest."

"We-ndy?" My voice sounded hoarse and unnatural.

I hated it.

"She wouldn't leave your side after you panicked before you went under, so her father took her out for some fresh air, I thought it'd be another hour until you woke so she'll be back in a while." His voice was slow and soft and clear; the perfect voice to be listening to with my fragile head. He was a doctor alright.

"I panicked?" I murmured, my vision clearing up far too slowly for my liking.

"Yes, you shouted out the name 'Hook…' I'm not quite sure what your little imagination conjured up, but hallucinations are quite normal if you're only half conscious; I wouldn't fret about it."

I jolted up, "Hook! Smee had Michael!" Then I hissed and my face contorted in pain.

"Peter! You need to lie down lad, or you'll break your stitches!" The doctor pushed me back into my pillows.

"It was a dream!" I gasped.

"Yes lad."

"He got hit, he's not here. He's gone, he's gone…" My breathing slowly balanced out again and I closed my eyes.

"It wasn't real Peter," The doctor switched over the cloth to the cool side for relief.

"No… it could be… he could've beaten me… he almost won… and he's still out there, and I left them! I left the boys…" My eyes opened once more.

"Peter?"

"I need to leave Wendy... in case he comes back; I need to protect the boys… I forgot them…" I went to sit up once more.

"Peter, you have to lie down."

"I need-"

"Peter, this is a doctor's order you must lie down."

My vision spiralled at all the movement and I cried out.

I felt the doctor's hands pushing me back into the bed before I slumbered once more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

I didn't remember that last episode when I woke. Apparently anaesthetics can do that; make you forget a strip of time in your life.

Wendy's face was completely clear when I woke, nothing was blurred at all. She was half smiling down at me, half white as a sheet from concern and fear. I grinned at her, "Well… that went fast."

She let out a nervous laugh and flung her arms round my neck.

"Gently, Wendy," The doctor warned.

"Yes, Dr Ackerman." She replied, rising slowly. She perched on the edge of her chair, so she could be as close to me as physically possible without sitting on top of the bed, "How're you feeling?"

"Groggy…." I replied, lethargically wiping a hand across my face.

"You have a slight fever, but nothing to be concerned about." The doctor said as he closed his bag with a satisfying 'click.'

"Are you leaving?" Wendy frowned.

"Just for two hours Wendy, I'm down the road seeing to Mrs Partridge's little girl, she's come down with influenza."

"Oh how dreadful," Wendy said sincerely, "Here," and she raced off to another room, coming back within seconds holding three small books, "Some of Grimm's fairy tales." She gave them to him, "Perhaps the little girl might enjoy listening to them." Wendy smiled at him.

"Thank you sweetheart, I'll hand them to her for you."

"Thank you."

"Right," the doctor looked at me sternly, "Stay in bed," he winked and I gave a mischievous smile, then he turned to Wendy, "I'll allow him some plain bread in about an hour perhaps if he's feeling up to it, use no more than three pillows to prop him up-I don't want his stitches breaking- keep him hydrated and if he's feeling tired let him sleep as much as needs be."

"Yes Dr," We both replied in unison.

"I've told Mary the same, I'll be back soon." He smiled at us and then left, leaving the door open behind him.

"Doctors are so much nicer in real life than in games," I started.

Wendy laughed, "That's because they help people."

"Doctors are amazing." I said, "That's twice I've been saved by them."

"Well John's not a doctor yet."

"Yet…" I looked at her.

Wendy stroked the edge of my face, "You should get some more sleep."

"I've just been to sleep!" I sighed.

"Then go back to sleep." She retorted.

"My chest hurts…" I mumbled, and it did. It was hot, scratchy and throbbing horribly.

"The doctor's already given you as many painkillers as he can," Wendy sighed.

"Tell me a story," I probed.

Wendy's eyes lit up, "Once upon a time in a faraway land a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoilt, selfish and unkind. But then one winter's night an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold."

"Aw, how sweet. I'd have just barged in and gone, "We're taking the castle!""

Wendy laughed again, "Well, you'd have probably been killed if you'd done that at this castle, because repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away."

"Rude."

"But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances for beauty is found within," Wendy continued as if I'd never interrupted, "And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologise but it was too late for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beats concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered him was truly an enchanted rose which would bloom until his 21st year, if he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not he would be doomed to remain a beast for all of time. As the years past he fell into despair and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast."

"So a magical princess falls in love with him and-"

"Nope! He concealed himself so much that no one ever found him, and on the night of his 21st birthday, as the fated clock struck midnight. All who lived in the castle transformed into lifeless antiques, and he was left alone completely."

I frowned, "Well that's a bit tragic."

"He should've left the castle and tried to fall in love, like hell some random person is going to accidentally stumble upon the castle and help him!" Wendy exclaimed.

I laughed, "So the moral of the story is?"

"Don't be selfish! You won't always get saved if you act like a spoilt person and always feel sorry for yourself."

I face palmed, "I thought you were in to 'romantics'."

"I am… I suppose. I could change the story, and say that a young woman… no that's far too obvious. An old man stumbled into the castle, chased by wolves with razor sharp teeth, and-"

"A man?"

"He could be homosexual. But no that's not the point I was trying to make… the hideous beast holds this man captive, for trying to steal a rose for his only daughter! And the daughter, who has a pure heart of gold, comes searching for her father. She rides through that bitter cold which is forever struck across the castle and its grounds, and ventures into the castle to save her father. But the beast awaits, and he screams at her to leave, that his father is a thief. Bravely, she takes her father's place, defying the beast's wishes. The inhabitants of the castle, the only ones with any hope left, release her and give her food, invite her to be their guest, take care of her, in the hope she will fall for the beast. But the girl holds only the thought of escape in her heart, and if doomed to live in the castle for all eternity, she goes on an adventure, to see what hidden mysteries lurk in the castle, and finds the enchanted rose. Terrified by what she could've done to the spell, the beast lashes out at her, roars at her to,

"Go! Get away from here! GO!" So she runs, as quick as lightening she stumbles down the grand staircase and leaves! Only to run into those same wolves! But the beast, that creature with no hope or spite left in his heart turns to love, and he saves her, almost dying in the action. The daughter takes him back and nurtures his wounds. In return the beast offers her a library, did I mention she loves books? I don't think I did… never mind she adored books and-"

But by that point I was asleep, having drifted off into that world of love and enchantment, sent there by Wendy's soothing voice.

 _Thanks for reading guys! Sorry if this chapter was a bit boring, things will start heating up in the next one don't you worry;))) Don't forget to leave a review! Constructive criticism always welcome:P_

 _Acia xxx_


	8. Chapter 8- The First Day of Summer

_Hey guys! I think I'm gonna concentrate on one fanfic at a time, cos I have like ten that I want to update atm but then I'd confuse myself if I was writing chapters for them all at the same time, so this fanfic is probs gonna be updated a lot over the next few weeks, and the others not so much_ _So good news if the only story you read of mine is this one!XD_

 _Enjoy the chapterrrr!:)))_

Chapter 8- The First Day of Summer

Wendy stayed with me for the rest of Sunday, and all of Monday, although her parents and I rightly forced her to sleep in her own bed and not in that creaky chair by the bedside. I was able to sit up now, and walk out the room to the bathroom by myself. The doctor was overjoyed with my progress, saying he might even take the stitches out Friday, instead of Sunday. It really was a treat, watching his face, still quite young only thirty at most, light up when he saw my healing progress.

" _My, my Peter, you do heal fast."_

" _Well… I guess it must be the fairy dust." I said with a smile._

 _He looked at me with half a frown, half a smile, on his face (an odd combination at that), "Yes…" He ruffled my hair fondly, "I suppose it must be."_

He really was an extraordinary man, so warm and benevolent- not at all a bad grown up- maybe they weren't all bad. Perhaps I'd turn the 'evil doctor' game into the 'friendly doctor and evil illness' game.

Tuesday came and Wendy came to say goodbye with her book snugly sat in her satchel along with a notepad and a pencil. Again she was dressed smartly, this time in shamrock coloured dress, short sleeved, with golden buttons down the centre of her chest. Mary had done her hair up into a neat bun, but still a few wisps had struggled free and danced along her cheek bones.

"I'll see you in a bit, be careful," She said as I munched away on my toast.

"I always do!" I sang.

She kissed the top of my forehead softly and left.

I paused in my meal and gently touched the spot on my forehead. Closing my eyes softly I breathed in deeply, what was that feeling? That pull, desire, whatever you want to call it, what did it mean?

I shrugged it off and picked up the book on my bedside table, and began to read, as Wendy has taught me to.

It felt like days before she returned… I finished one book, got onto the next one… had lunch… played a strange game called chess with John, in which I spectacularly failed…

" _No no no! You can't move the Knight that way."_

" _Why not?"_

" _Because you just can't- it's the rules."_

" _Well I change the rules!"_

" _Peter! This isn't Neverland you can't just change the rules of a game because you feel like it."_

" _Then London is boring! Rules were made to be broken!"_

But eventually she was back.

"It's being printed! The manager said he'll get it into the bookstores by next Tuesday, all across London!" Her face was flushed pink, and her eyes were sparkling like sapphires, like treasure.

"Oh Wendy!" John leaped up and dived into his sister's arms.

Wendy laughed aloud, the kind of laugh that could create a fairy, and kissed the top of his head affectionately.

I paused; did Wendy kiss everyone like that? Like she kissed me earlier… Was I just thought of as a little brother to her?

I shook my head. Why did it matter how Wendy acted around me? How Wendy thought of me?

I too stood up.

Wendy walked across to me slowly, her smile dazzling my eyes, with a spring in every step she took, "John leave us a moment please."

"What why?" John wailed.

Wendy turned and looked at him.

"Fine!" He said hastily, seeing Wendy's 'mother look' and he skipped out the room, "Michael! Did Wendy tell you?" His footsteps disappeared down the staircase.

I cupped her face in my hand, "I'm so proud of you."

"No… I need to thank you Peter, for taking me that night last year... for coming and listening to my stories- you've given me a life, a future. I'm an author." She shook her head in disbelief, "Can you believe it? Me, a woman at that! An author?! Oh Peter!" And she flung her arms around my neck and nuzzled into my neck, "I'm an author…"

"You gave that future to yourself, with your writing, your skill… and your own imagination."

I pulled her back and looked directly into her eyes, "You only have yourself to thank." With that I leaned closer to her, my lips ever so slightly parted.

"Peter…" She stretched up to me, so our lips were almost touching, noses grazing against each other. Then she pulled back, and blinked, "How long are you staying?" She inquired suddenly, her eyes questioning and almost… scared?

I too took a step back.

"What?"

"In London? How long are…?"

"I need to get better before I can fly home."

"That's not a straight answer."

"Maybe I don't have a straight answer." I retorted harshly.

She stared at me.

"Sorry." I muttered.

There was silence.

"I have to tell Arthur!" She exclaimed suddenly, rushing towards the window and grabbing some paper and a pen.

"Who?"

"Oh yes, you haven't met. Erm Arthur, he's my friend who lives in America. He's nineteen, and such a gentleman! We send letters to each other all the time; he's a writer too! He's helped me when writing those stories about you Peter. Oh and he's written the most beautiful stories himself!" She gazed out the window dreamily and I felt a twang of something sour.

"I'm sure he has," I said bitterly, sitting back down on the bed.

"Yes. He has. He writes romantics, one of his characters was based off me you know." She sighed contentedly and began to write, slowly and carefully curling her letters with such affection.

"How lucky of you." I pulled the covers over me and turned to face the wall.

She put her pen down.

"What's wrong with you? I thought you'd be happy for me!"

"I am happy!" It came out more spitefully than intended.

"Well you don't sound it!"

"Well then I guess you should stop talking to me and go and talk to Arthur."

She paused.

"Are you jealous?" She looked at me with such incredulity my heart ached. "Peter, Arthur and I been friends for the past year!"

"Jealousy? I've never heard of the feeling!"

Or perhaps it was just my wound aching, of course that must be it; my heart doesn't ache.

"Oh of course because you, the boy who never grows up, only feels happiness." She bit back sarcastically.

"I am a boy, I don't have adult feelings!"

"No you're not Peter."

She stared at me.

Her eyes were so piercing, so steady and bright. I wanted to watch them all day; I could spend hours watching them.

But instead I simply turned away.

xxxxxxxx

We tried to forget it. That little hiccup, but after that she acted differently. Not that differently, but she wouldn't stoke my face with the same tenderness, she wouldn't look at me in that same way; her eyes didn't sparkle when she saw me. I felt like hiding in my bedroom, but Wendy had been right about that beast in some ways, if he'd locked himself in the castle it was unlikely that some random person would stumble in and save him. _Stop feeling sorry for yourself Peter, get up!_

So I did. But that morning I wish I'd just stayed in my bed. But maybe it was better to know. In the end I probably would have found out anyways. It had been a week, the stitches were out and I was up and moving.

Wendy and George were trying to make pancakes in the kitchen while I was getting out the honey and melting chocolate over the fire to spread on it.

"And now Wendy, see the master at work as I flip!" And on the word he spun the pancake up, "Aaaaand whoops!" In his excitement to catch the tossed pancake he tripped over the basket of groceries and the flung out the pan. To be fair the pancake did land in the pan as it skidded across the floor, but he ended up squashing half the tomatoes in the process. Oh the sacrifices we make to catch pancakes.

The jar of honey dropped onto the table with a thud!

I and Wendy burst into laughter.

"And that!" George stood up, grimacing at the tomatoes squashed on his back, creating a beautiful red painting, "Is how you flip a pancake."

"George dear!" Mary stood in the doorway, a look of horror on her face, "You look like you've been in a war!" She cried.

Wendy dissolved once more into giggles.

"I think we can conclude that Mr Darling can't flip pancakes." I chipped in cockily.

George looked at me with raised eyebrows, "And you can do better Peter?"

"I'm Peter pan! It's in the name! PANcakes!" I nodded at him and winked.

Mary chuckled, "I guess that's true. You have a go then dear, but watch your chest!"

"Will do!" I answered automatically, jumping up towards the pancakes. Delicately placing the mixture in the pan I began to cook the cakes of Pan. Really, how hard could it be? When they were ready I gently flipped the cake up, it was just like flipping my dagger really, and it landed spot on in the pan.

The three of them clapped and I gave a low bow. "Like I said, it's in the name!" I sang, winking at George.

"Humph!" He replied.

"Come on then George, I think you'd better change, don't you have that Sunday lunch to attend?"

"By Jove! I do! It's the 21st of June!"

"The first day of summer!" Wendy chipped in.

I froze, "It's what?"

"Oh Daddy's going out for lunch…"

"No. You said the date- what's the date?"

"The 21st of June…" Wendy began slowly, "Peter?"

But I wasn't listening.

" _Happy Birthday Peter my dear!" Mother laughed happily as I blew out the candles._

" _Thank you mother!"_

" _The first day of summer!" Father sighed, "What a beautiful day to have a birthday on!"_

" _If I could live in summer all the time I would!" I exclaimed happily, "Then it would always be warm and the trees would always be lush and full of leaves." I gasped, "I wonder what it would be like to have an outfit made of leaves! A leaf suit!" I looked up at them expectantly._

" _What a barbaric thought!" Mother frowned at me and my face dropped._

" _Sorry mother."_

" _I'm afraid you can't always live in summer son, time passes much faster than you think: soon you shall be a man! And what a fine one you'll be."_

" _But I don't want to grow up." I complained._

" _Oh child we can't stop growing. It's impossible." Mother flapped her napkin about her in a fluster._

" _Nothing's ever impossible, only improbable." I smiled at her._

" _Oh the things you children come up with these days," She tutted at my words and left to clear the plates away._

" _Come on son don't look so disheartened, fourteen is a beautiful age! You can start to come into the office with me if you like, and you've only a year left at school!" He sang cheerily._

" _But can't I stay younger for a little longer?" I asked, biting my lower lip._

 _Father laughed at my words, "Oh if only we could! But no, we can't- tomorrow son I want you to come into the office with me. Make sure you get into a nice suit and whatever you do don't speak your mind. People who speak their minds aren't highly thought of these days, we must mould into social standards." He clapped me on the shoulder. "Forget this silly 'not growing up' business now, yes?"_

" _But I don't want to work in an office when I'm older!"_

" _Hush child! Don't speak to your father like that."_

" _But I don't-"_

" _I shall decide what you do and what you don't do because I know what's best for you." Father's voice raised a notch, "I'm your father. And you shall go with me to the office tomorrow and you shall bite that tongue of yours."_

" _Why can't I be a sailor? Or a doctor? An office job is so dry!" I fought back, my wild hair mocking me as it fell irritatingly into my eyes._

" _An office job is well paid. Doctors can do naught for disease nowadays. Haven't you seen how cholera has sweetly swept the streets clear of people for us?! And why in God's name would you want to be a sailor! You have a job staring at you in the face- if you were a man you'd take it!"_

" _Then let's thank God I'm a boy!" I stood up sharply._

" _You hold your tongue boy!" Father snarled, slamming his hands onto the table._

"Peter?!" Wendy shouted sharply.

"I'm fifteen." I whispered.

"Peter what's wrong?"

"I've never been here on my birthday… I always made sure I was never in London on my birthday…" I mumbled incoherently.

"Peter? It's okay…" She began quickly, "It doesn't matter what difference does one year ma-"

"It makes all the difference!" I shouted. "I can't… I won't grow up. No! No I won't ever, ever grow up! You can't make me!" And with that I stumbled out the kitchen, pounded down the corridor and raced onto the street, despite the fact I was wearing pyjamas, despite the fact my chest was muttering darkly in protest, despite the fact I had tears streaming down my face.

It couldn't be true.

I clamped my jaw together and kept on running, ignoring Wendy's screams at me to stop from behind, I kept going, running blindly, charging into people.

"Watch where you're going!"

"Oy! Manners!"

A sob rose up in my throat and I fought to keep it at bay.

I ran for forever, my chest burnt now, throbbed and seared with agony.

But I didn't care.

With a last push I stumbled into a large park, a lush green area that I'd been to so many times before.

WELCOME TO KENSINGTON GARDENS

I wasn't growing up.

I wasn't fifteen.

It was only the first day of summer.

 _Oh nooo! Peter's turned fifteeeennn! I know that may not be entirely accurate, like it's only his birthday and he may have only been out of never land for a total of like fifty days or something altogether, but let's just pretend that that's the way it all works;P_

 _Anyways thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this last chappie, don't forget to review- constructive criticism always welcome:)))))_

 _Acia xxx_


	9. Chapter 9- 1840

Chapter 9- 1840

Finally I lay to rest.

I sprawled down into the bushes at the furthest corner of the gardens, where no one would ever think to look, and dragged myself into the base of a large oak tree, the nettles stinging my uncovered legs spitefully.

Harshly wiping the tears from my eyes, I scrambled up the old tree and reached inside its hollow hole. Inside this hole I lifted up a small shard of wood and my fingers immediately came into contact with them. I sighed; they were still safe.

I dragged out the huge mass of papers, so many of them, so many lost boys, so many forgotten faces. In Wendy's story, the lost boys had fallen out of their prams, but in my world, the real world, they'd ran away, fully conscious of their actions; at ages much more than a few months.

I fingered the oldest and most crumpled piece of paper gently, stroking the chipped edges as if it were made of the thinnest sheet of glass known to man:

 _Peter Nathan Pan_

 _Born 1840 to Horace Bruce Pan and Nancy Pan_

 _Deceased 1854_

 _Cause: Missing._

Missing- they didn't even try to look for me.

I shuffled through the others…

 _Ryland Slight_

 _Born 1848_

 _Deceased 1860_

 _Cause: Missing._

 **Henry Tick Jones**

 **Born 1844**

 **Deceased 1852**

 **Cause: Missing.**

 _David Toot_

 _Born 1866_

 _Deceased 1872_

 _Body unfound_

I sniffed and wiped my nose on the edge of the nightgown. Deceased they called us, missing, body unfound. But that didn't matter, after all everyone knows grown-ups always lie. And then they try and say, 'it was for you own good,' but everyone knows it was just to save them the hard task of 'parenting'.

I cried out suddenly as my chest seared with pain, maybe a three mile run wasn't the best idea.

Then it hit me; I hadn't flown.

How I had I not flown here? Because of all the people I passed in the streets? I shook my head and slammed my fist into the tree- that had never stopped me before. Being spotted flying was exhilarating, and besides, adults didn't have the imagination to believe even if the truth was glaring at them in the face.

So why hadn't I flown? Why did I run? Because I hadn't flown in so long?! Because I couldn't fly… No… it wasn't possible that I couldn't… that I couldn't _fly_ …

I was the boy who didn't grow up! I had no dark thoughts! I didn't feel sad, jealous, hurt, fear, love… that wasn't me! I was happy. Just happy. One emotion. One simple feeling! Because things are simpler when you're younger!

Brushing my hair back from my eyes I looked up at the sky, lightning struck across it and it began to spit, spit darts of icy murky water.

The water mingled with my tears and ran down my cheeks, across my chin and landed on the leaves below me with a 'splat!' Wheezing hard through the pain in my chest, I dragged myself up, my bare feet moulding into the mud below me.

Glaring up at the dark sky I took a running start, dirt splashing up into the snow white nightgown and flung myself off the ground; fly! Fly!

For a single moment I was airborne, not even a single second- simply a moment.

Then I merely fell down once more with a rebounding crash that shook the very foundations of my frozen heart.

The sky above crackled and thundered and the heavens opened up with a wail and a scream, drowning me in my misery.

I cried out, half in frustration, half in anguish. And I looked up again.

Happy thoughts.

All you need to do is to think of a wonderful thought.

Any happy little thought.

"THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS!"

I screamed into the air, the lost boys, playing games, fighting pirates, mermaids, playing with the Indians! Wendy her beautiful eyes, her tender touch, her laugh...

 _If you leave London you'll never see Wendy again._

I gasped, fanatically searched around me, my head whipping back and forth, my eyes too fast to follow, but there was not a soul in sight.

I turned back to my happy thoughts, back to Wendy, the way a lock of her hair always fell across her face when she was reading or writing, and then she'd try endlessly to blow it out of the way from the corner of her mou-

 _If you leave London you'll never see Wendy again._

I looked around once more, but there was not a soul. "Then I'll take her with me!" I cried out desperately into the rain.

 _She doesn't want to leave London; she's a grownup now._

"NO!"

 _She has a life here. She doesn't need you- can't you see that?_

"IF SHE HAS A LIFE HERE THEN I'LL STAY WITH HER."

 _Then you grow up._

"I WON'T GROW UP!"

 _And you'll leave your poor lost boys behind._

"NO!"

 _What about dear sweet Tinkerbell? She's waiting for you… back at home…_

"PLEASE!"

 _You'll leave them to Hook! Leave them to die Peter!_

"I'll FIGHT HIM OFF!"

 _Then you leave her. You own Wendy…_

"No... No WENDY!"

I fell onto the ground in a heap, curling the mud round my fists. But then different voices began to tornado around my head… memories…

 _We don't lose ourselves when we grow old Peter._

 _You looked terrified._

 _Are you jealous?_

 _New feelings, new aspirations, and new responsibilities._

 _What's wrong with you? I thought you'd be happy for me!_

 _And that makes us seem much different._

"I won't grow up… I won't!" I closed my eyes and let myself fall into the mud, that petrichor smell swamping my nose.

"What are you afraid of Peter?" Wendy's gentle voice sailed into my head, the sound of angels.

"Losing myself…" I bit my lip until I drew blood.

"Then I'll keep hold of you, so you don't get lost." And I felt warm arms close around me, not in a dream any longer. In reality.

"Wendy?"

"I won't let you get lost," She murmured again, and I felt a warm drop of rain fall onto my face and run down my cheek, no… not rain: Wendy's tears.

I pushed myself up and turned to face her, her sapphire orbs were sparkling ever more brightly because her tears were reflecting any light left in the sky around her eye in dazzling patterns. The rain had run down her golden locks, flattened it out and pushed the bun out of her hair, letting it fly wild and free.

"Peter," She began quietly, as though she was afraid of the words coming from her rosy lips, "You say you're afraid of growing up… but don't you see," She looked at me intently and her voice became stronger, "You already are. Growing up… it doesn't come with age Peter, it comes with experience. Not just by how many years you've live, but the things you've been through, the people you've met; those are the things that give you new feelings, new parts to add to yourself. Peter you don't have to be afraid of growing up; you will never lose yourself, unless you lose sight of who you are. And you won't do that, because you're far too cocky and love yourself far too much," And she let out a nervous laugh before continuing…

"People say that when you grow up… the responsibilities will come, the confusion, the feelings… Peter aren't these things you already have? You are growing up, not by your age, but by your life. And that's something you can never run away from." She stroked my face… "I was afraid to love you… because I thought you were going to leave me, and I didn't want to get too close." She sniffed and took hold of both my hands in her own, "But I don't want to be afraid of loving you anymore. I don't want to be afraid of losing you to Neverland," and her eyes glistened with fresh tears.

I stared at her, her face becoming blurred as tears filled my own eyes. So that was that pull, that burning desire… love?

I reached out and stroked along her cheekbone, "I can't leave Neverland…" I said softly, "I can't leave my boys…"

"You can visit them."

"Can grown-ups get into Neverland?" I sniffed.

"Hook?"

"He's a pirate… he's different!"

"I thought as long as people believed you can go anywhere." She looked at me, her lips pressed tightly together.

"Yes… but what if I stop believing? What if I forget?!"

"You won't!"

"How do you know?"

"Because of the stories, because I've written every story down and you can read them any time you want, and I can write new stories, about our future. And when you're old and start to forget that future, that will have already passed, you can go back and read them all once more."

I swallowed, "You're trying to persuade me…"

Wendy glanced down at the now sodden papers on the ground, "You've lived in Neverland for 51 years Peter."

"Yes."

"Grow up with me."

I stared at her.

"Have a new adventure with me Peter- grow up with me."

"My lost boys…"

"Grow old with me Peter! I don't want to lose you." Her eyes became feverish, and she squeezed both my hands, hands that were still tightly entangled in her own.

"You won't." I said out of impulse, out of instinct.

With that I pressed my lips to hers.

She froze, and then wrapped her arms round my neck and pressed herself into me, parting her lips and deepening the kiss. I edged my tongue between her teeth and ran my fingers through her sopping wet hair. Her sweet chocolatey taste filled my mouth and I shivered; intoxicated. Slowly, her hands caressed my back, moving down from my neck and I shuddered once more.

She pulled back and gasped for air, after what felt like years.

As we stared at each other, she smiled sheepishly, "What would mother say?"

"My goodness Wendy! What in the world are you doing?" I put on a mock accent.

She laughed aloud, "Well mother, I'm afraid I have some news… Peter Pan and I are going to Neverland, to celebrate the fact we've known each other for fourteen months."

I stared at her in disbelief, "Really Wendy?"

"Peter! Don't break the role play!" She cried, her eyes shining.

"And when will you be back?" I continued in Mrs Darling's sweetly concerned voice.

"Two months, I'm taking the large empty book you gave me last Christmas and I'm going to add a bunch of new adventures to 'Adventures in Neverland!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms out wide for emphasis. "It can be the 'PART 2!'"

"You're staying with a bunch of boys Wendy! That is not really very proper," I tutted, waving my hands about in a silly fashion.

"Yes mother, I will tell them all stories for one last time, and then Peter and I will return and then we are going on a new adventure." The sun broke out through the clouds.

"To grow up… will be an awfully big adventure…" I said softly.

"Indeed, it will be the greatest adventure of all." She reached up and brushed my wet bangs from my eyes, going to stand, but I leaned forward again and pecked her tenderly on her soft lips.

She giggled then, "Why are we kissing in the rain? In a muddy tree?"

The sun made a sudden bid for freedom and blazed out of the clouds, reflecting off our wet hair and turning the strands into tiny diamonds. I breathed a laugh, "Because we're always on an adventure."

I glanced down at the papers one last time, then squeezed her hand softly and turned away, "Let's go back."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Right… I think that's everything… nightgown, toothbrush, hairbrush, soap, hair grips, blanket, book, notebook, quill, ink, pencil… and erm… what on earth am I missing? I swear there's something I'm missing…" Wendy glared at the floor, as if the wood would magically remind her of her 'forgotten object.'

I shrugged in the corner, last time all Wendy had taken was herself.

And the nightgown of course.

So why all the luggage this time? At this rate we wouldn't even be able to get into Neverland!

"Oh my goodness! I nearly forgot my clothes!" Wendy cried out, rushing up to her quaint wardrobe.

"You're wearing clothes," I pointed out, picking up a bunch of grapes from the window sill fruit bowl, and squashing one between my teeth. "Do you need more?"

"Yes of course Peter! Last time my nightgown got disastrously sweaty, and I couldn't change it at all without exposing…well… everything!"

I sniggered and she raised her eyebrows at me, "Sorry," I muttered sheepishly.

"Right… do I take all my dresses… or not?"

"All of them!" My eyes quickly flickered to the already half full suitcase.

"I only have six Peter, and my riding clothes… perhaps I should bring them and leave a dress behind…hmm… yes I ought to, especially with the lost boys around, I don't want to be wearing dresses all the time but perhaps-" And she began her usual mutterings under her breath.

I grinned as I watched her take out the dresses and I rested my head on my hands, her face was so pensive, her cheeks so rosy… I'd fallen in love with the way her eye lashes curled and tickled the edges of her face when she blinked, they were so dark and thick and long and her eyes were so sharp and piercing as she looked at me…

"Peter! Why are you staring at me?"

I jerked up, "Nothing!"

She narrowed her eyes mischievously, "Right… I'll take my emerald one with the gold buttons, the cropped light blue flower one- perfect for summer weather! My red one will be far too hot with those sleeves and under-layers… and I simply can't take my yellow ball gown," And she placed them back in the oak wood wardrobe, "I'll take my riding clothes… I'll leave the black cotton one behind but I'll take the grey one as I'm wearing it now…Sound good Peter?"

""Yes, fascinating!" I said, only hearing the last word of her speech.

I could tell by her facial expression that she'd seen right through me. I smiled sweetly.

But fortunately I was saved by a soft knock on the door, "Wendy?" It was George.

"Coming father!" She quickly folded up the last dress, placed it into the case and closed it up with a 'snap!', before hurrying to the door.

George walked in with his head held high, followed by Mary, John and Michael.

"Can't we come to Neverland too?" Michael pleaded, clambering up onto the bed.

"Maybe another day Michael, but you're starting school in a few weeks, we can't lose track of time and have you miss it." I explained, ruffling his caramel coloured hair affectionately.

"Peter is right," George agreed, looking at the little monkey sternly.

"I'll be busy with my studies now so I won't be able to go again, but it was absolutely dashing to meet you again Sir Pan!" John clasped my hand tightly and gave it a solid shake.

"Same goes to you John!" I replied, slapping him on the back.

He laughed and slapped me on the back equally hard, we both backed away wincing. George and Mary then came forward to engulf Wendy in a huge bear hug.

"Oh mother and father; I'll be back in two months."

"I know, but take care dear…" She kissed Wendy's forehead, "And you Peter."

I nodded.

"Here Wendy," and George handed her an elongated black case.

Wendy frowned in curiosity, "What's this father?"

He tapped her on the nose, "Open it and find out."

She delicately opened the top to reveal a magnificent quill, jade and azure feathers were intertwined throughout and the tip was a graceful bronze. John then handed Wendy three large bottles of black ink, "Congrats on publishing 'Adventures in Neverland'." He beamed cheesily at her. "Now go and write another one!"

"Oh dears!" She enveloped them all in a hug and I smiled softly from the side, until Mary reached out and gripped my leaf suit (of course I'd changed for the return journey), tugging me into the hug and wrapping her motherly arms around me.

"…Mary," I looked at her.

"You're our family too now Peter."

Then I was beaming cheesily too.

"Right now dear have you got everything," Mary broke formation and led Wendy to her case, John and Michael followed suit, listing off 'essentials' she may need so she could check she had them. (To me the only essential was you yourself.)

"Peter, a word if you please," George commanded from the doorway, and he stepped out into the hallway.

I gulped and followed him out, "Yes Mr Darling?" I asked, closing the door behind me.

"I know you love and care for my daughter, and I know what type of 'love' we're talking about; I'm not blind to the looks you two give each other across the dinner table you know," He winked.

"Oh-erm… yes, well-"

"I don't mind Peter!" He brushed off my stutters, "My daughter is old enough to have a…what shall we call it… suitor, yes that's the one, at this age. But I am warning you now, if you hurt my daughter while away, even give her the slightest of scratches, you'll have me to answer too," and he stared stonily down at me, his bank mode switched on full blast.

"Of course Sir, I would never let Wendy get injur-"

"There are different types of harming and injury Peter- not just cuts and bruises. Watch your actions carefully… control your _emotions_."

Okay now this was getting awkward.

"If you ever feel even the slightest urge to-"

"Are you ready Peter?" Wendy popped her head through the doorway, and then instantaneously paused at the sight of her father looming over me. I of course was as red as a tomato. "Is everything okay?"

"Perfectly Wendy dear; we were just having a man to man talk, weren't we Peter?" And he slapped me affectionately on the back, keeping his hand tightly gripped on my shoulder.

Wendy had her case in her hand, and held out her other for me, I took it, but not before taking my little pouch of pixie dust from my pocket. And not before Mr Darling gave me a tight squeeze on the shoulder, "Remember what I said Peter." He warned.

"I will Sir."

"Good man." He breathed in deeply and stood back to wave us off with the rest of the family.

I smiled softly, and turned to Wendy. "Are you ready?"

"Ready." She whispered back.

I led her up the bed and onto the window sill, like we were walking up a grand staircase, and then blew the dust deftly across her face, painting her lashes in sparkling iridescent colours. She breathed a laugh, "Oh Peter."

"Second star to the right…"

"And straight on 'till morning!" She, John and Michael finished in unison.

"Right ho!" I called, and with that I leaped from the window sill with no warning, pulling Wendy out after me.

She squealed half in fear, half in delight and her arms flailed as she steadily grew accustomed again to flying.

"I've got you, I've got you," I reassured, my arms gripped around her waist.

She laughed again, and we looked down, the garden lay below us, we looked to our right, back into Wendy's bedroom, where the Darling's stood waving us both off. And then up, right up into the stars.

"Bye Wendy!"

"Be careful!"

"We love you!"

The family waved their goodbyes and I tugged Wendy up and we soared into the sky, the wind whipping past us and blowing our hair from around our faces.

"It's always so refreshing!" Wendy cried, as we circled up into the clouds.

I closed my eyes and let the wind whip across my cheeks, "Yeah… it is."

I looked back at her, my hand was still intertwined with her own, and her eye lids were flickering in the wind as she closed them and slowly drew them open.

"What are you thinking of?" I said, slowly letting go of her hand, bit by bit.

"You!" She laughed and twirled, her hand still gripping mine, and the other latched onto her case.

I paused and turned to her, a slight smile playing on my lips.

"Me?"

"Yes you."

"What about me? A memory?" I asked eagerly.

"Yes…" And now she blushed, and turned to look down at her case.

My lips twisted up into a smile and I pushed the small of her back towards me, until our chests pressed together, "Which memory?" I winked and let go of her hand completely.

But she didn't fall; instead she began to rise steadily faster.

"What I chose to tell you is my own choice Peter, and I do not wish to tell you which memory." She etched her chin up a notch in defiance.

I trailed my hands down her back and she shuddered, and flew up suddenly a notch higher.

I laughed aloud inside, adoring the effect I was having on her, and kind of neglecting her father's stern words… well… what he doesn't know won't hurt him.

"I can give you a better memory…" I nuzzled into her neck. "Right here… right now…" I let my lips linger against her ears.

She arched her neck back, "Peter… this isn't proper…"

"Hmm… you don't want a better memory then…"

And I nibbled the soft skin on her neck, just a touch, and Wendy's now free hand, that had been stroking through my hair, suddenly balled into a fist, "You're so evil!" Wendy laughed and pushed me away from her.

I snickered, "Oh the effect Peter Pan can have on a woman."

"On a woman?"

I winked.

"Oh and what effect, I wonder, can this woman have on him…" And she leant forward and grazed the tips of our noses together. My heart beat quickened and my breaths seemed to stop altogether.

"Race you to the second star," She sang in my ears, and then she shot off.

It took me a second, I must admit, to come to my senses.

"Wha- oy- hey Wendy!" And I dived into the sky after her, "I'll catch you!"

"Oh no you won't!"

 _Hey guys, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chappie!XD_

 _Acia xxx_


	10. Chapter 10- Make Believe

Chapter 10- Make-believe

The island was cloaked in white when we arrived, and the sun reflecting off each snow flake made the Island look like a misshaped sun itself. The trees shivered lightly in the gentle breeze.

"Snow? Why is there snow?" Wendy laughed, "Perhaps I should've taken my red dress."

"Nah, it'll warm up- you'll see," and I winked at her as we danced through the air towards the ground.

"Let's land on the beach!" Wendy said, "Then we can try and find the boys and surprise them."

"Yes!" I replied excitedly, eager to see my boys as much as I was to play tricks on them.

The moment we landed on the ground the island seemed to shudder, and the sun blazed suddenly hot; the snow began to melt and the flowers began to bloom.

"The boys will be sad, they love snow…but I always accidentally melt it." I looked at her and shrugged.

"I don't think that's a bad thing…"Dropping her case she giggled and wrapped her arms around me, "When we go back to London, will it always be winter here?"

"No… I don't think so… I just have a feeling it won't. I think the only reason it's snowed was because I was gone so long, and the boys were expecting me." I turned to look at her, "Does that make any sense?"

She nodded, "If the boys are always thinking of you being away, it'll snow. If they move on it won't."

"Yeah… something like that…"

"There needs to be a Neverland contract!" She flicked her ponytail behind her neck and flounced back to her case. "We'll find it under the 'what happens when Peter Pan leaves the Island' section."

I laughed and scooped her up in my arms before she could get too far away from me, pecking her on the nose as I did so, "You're so beautiful."

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on my chin, "Why do you just have to blurt that out?" She mumbled, blushing.

"Because it's true and because I'm cocky."

She snorted, "Well you've got that right."

"I get everything right!" I leant down and picked up her case, "Let's drop this off and find the boys before they realise I'm back- I want to surprise them!"

xxxxxxxxx

We strolled through the woods hand in hand, case free, while the trees whistled to each other cheerily and the remains of the snow crunched under our feet.

"Crocodile creak?" Wendy tried.

"Nah… I don't think they'll be there unless they're stupid enough to go bathing in the river in this weather. "We could try the Indian camp…"

"Let's hurry, before it all melts and they realise you're back!"

We ran up a beaten track towards the camp, but just before we ran out onto the plains full pelt I tugged Wendy back, "No wait! Look…" And I pointed to the edge of the large field that stretched out before us.

"What?" She whispered back.

"In those trees to the right and then up the hill to the left- behind those rocks," and I narrowed my eyes.

Tootles could be seen, slingshot in hand, partly obscured behind a large tree on the edge of the woods to our right.

And the tell-tale sight of brown cloth and red war-paint pecked out from the rocks on our left.

"Play fighting!" Wendy gasped.

"Indeed," I replied. "And look! They've captured Nibs!" And sure enough Nibs was tied up to a totem pole atop one of the rocks in front of the Indian camp, a gag in his mouth, like a prize.

"And look who we have!" Wendy pointed to the edge of the trees where a young girl of twelve was tied up to a large oak, her ebony hair racing in the wind.

"Tiger Lily."

"What do we do?"

I thought for a moment, my fingers trailing across my lips, both sides were unmoving. "We wait… I'll crawl out to the middle of the field, and when one of them makes a move I'll leap out and crow, in their distraction go and save Nibs! Go now to the edge of the trees, where you'll be closer, I'll meet you by the oak tree when the fight is done."

She nodded sharply and disappeared into the undergrowth.

Excitement bubbled up in my chest; I hadn't played so freely in months!

I took a deep breath and creeped up to the field, then dropped onto my belly abruptly and began to crawl through the long blades of grass, as silent as a mouse. The snow melted at my touch and I was soon dripping wet- the water finding any break in my costume and worming down my bare skin unpleasantly- but I kept crawling until I was directly in the middle of the plains.

Both sides lay silent and still.

I looked across and saw Wendy take position by the last pile of rocks, half hidden in the trees that lay strewn out, guarding the Indian camp, along the hill.

Then a huge war cry went up and the Indians readied themselves to charge.

"ON MY COMMAND MEN!" I heard Slightly cry out to my right just as the Indians set off, their huge footsteps thundering down the hill.

"NOW!" and the slingshots were released, knocking down the Indians on my left.

"CHARGE!" Curly screamed.

Now I had both armies racing towards me.

My heart pounded and my hands were sweating, but adrenaline and excitement were flooding through my veins, pumping my blood round at double the normal speed.

I lay there for a few seconds, my ear to the ground, listening intently as the extreme footsteps began to come closer.

Then I shot up with a, '"COCK A DOODLE DOO!"

Both sides seemed to freeze mid action.

There was silence.

I smirked.

"Good morning my good gentlemen!" And I saluted our side.

Their faces lit up and I could practically see the excitement welling up inside them, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait to tell me all about your adventures until later my children. We have a problem as I take it." I glanced monetarily up the hill; Wendy was racing past the rocks, only the tips of her hair visible, seconds away from Nibs.

"Indeed Captain Pan!" Slightly grinned and I turned to the red-skins, but not before I heard the twins whisper to the others…

"I told you the snow was melting!"

"My dear sweet Indians!" I held out my hands in welcome.

"So you've returned Peter Pan." A young brave stated.

"I have… it was quite a pleasant holiday but I did miss you all!" I placed a hand on my heart and feigned a face of pain.

"We missed you too Peter!" My boys cried and I felt a slight twang behind my façade- they'd miss me a lot more in two months.

"Perhaps now you've returned you can call off your gang, they're been attacking us for weeks in this cold, wet, miserable snow!" One warrior cried. "Snow which doesn't seem to bother them, but gives our feet an awful chill!"

"And why is that?" I probed, ignoring the dig at the snow, which they most likely blamed on me- I couldn't help it if Neverland missed me and decided to cry white fluffy tears...

"They took Nibs!" Tootles butted in, frowning harshly at them.

"Nibs tried to steal our gold!"

"It was ours first! We found it!" Curly jutted in.

"And you sold it to us in return for us teaching you how to read the stars!"

"Borrowed! We said you could borrow it!" Slightly folded his arms with a sigh, looking as if he were dealing with inadequate children.

"No! You specifically said 'you can have it'! I have the best memory of my whole tribe; the medicine man himself said so!"

"The medicine man can't tell that!"

"YOU DARE UNDERMINE THE MAGIC AND WISE-INESS (is that a word?)" The warrior paused and looked to his friend, who shrugged. "OF OUR MEDICINE MAN!" The warrior continued as if there had been no break.

"GENTLEMEN, GENTLEMEN!" I cried throwing my hands out, my tongue still infected with the London language and accent. "Please, let me figure this out…So you," I pointed at my boys, "Tried to steal the gold you'd given up, but didn't think you'd given up due to a misunderstanding, the Indians un-rightly took Nibs prisoner, thinking you were stealing and not just misunderstanding, so you stole Tiger Lily to be at equals and now you're at war." As I babbled a load of nonsense my eyes flickered once more for a moment up to the totem pole, Wendy had arrived and was untying Nibs. "So I think it's safe to say the boys only acted out of fear and self- defence."

"Huh?!" The Indians cried, (to be fair the Indians were right but… I had to stick up for my boys!)

"Be that as it may, you're not getting Nibs until you return our princess!" Another warrior cried.

"Yeah!" The others agreed, brandishing their bows and spears.

"Hmm… I'm sorry my sweet Indians… but did no one warn you not to leave your prisoner unguarded?" and I flicked a hand towards the tip of the hill, where Wendy was finishing undoing the rope on Nibs.

"YAYY!"

"WOO HOO! GO CAPTAIN PAN!"

"MOTHER WENDY'S HERE!"

"Not so fast!" The chief stepped forward with a large thud, his boot crunching the snow and startling us all to silence. "You have my daughter Tiger Lily, but now we have two of your men!" His eyes bulged and his voice was that of a true chief, strong and deep, "A fair trade would mean we still keep one…"

I glanced rapidly back up the hill, to my horror Wendy was struggling against a young brave, and Nibs skilfully thwacking two warriors but with a mere stick.

Everyone on the battlefield paused to watch.

Wendy slammed her foot down on the brave's foot and he cried out and collapsed, she then raced across to the pole, picked up a slingshot and threw it at the warrior, not even bothering to use it properly, the warrior fell and Nibs finished the last one off by merely barring his baby teeth.

The chief's jaw dropped.

Pride flooded my whole body, rising from the tips of my toes to the height of my head. "Hmm… well actually chief, you wouldn't ever have had two of my men." And I flew down to whisper in his ear, "Because one of them is a girl… a woman in fact."

And I soared into the air with another loud crow of victory.

"Woooo!" The boys below me cheered.

"WE DID IT!"

"GO US!"

I laughed and circled round to the oak tree, bowing low to Tiger Lily who twitched her neck up defiantly.

"You're acting like Wendy when I'm teasing her," I said aloud.

She frowned at me, "The Wendy bird?"

I nodded and took out my dagger, "Where's the gold?"

"We have it."

"I'll let you go if you give it to me."

She sniffed, "And why would I do that?" Her accent was thick and powerful.

The chief wandered up, followed by his warriors, knowing when he's lost and truly valiant about it, "That is a deal Pan."

The Tiger looked at him in disbelief, "Una cathracta meyami plothania!" She cried in Neverlandish- the native Neverland language, a language which I could never be bothered to learn, but I understood the basics, and Tiger Lily clearly did not agree with the deal.

I shook his hand, the both of us ignoring her words, and then sliced the ropes binding Lily to the tree in one swift movement. The young brave on the hilltop was signalled to bring down the gold. And Tiger Lily stepped away from the tree in such a dignified manner she struck me as almost identical to Wendy.

Speaking of, Wendy rushed up at that exact moment, "We did it!" She threw her arms round me and kissed my cheek.

Everyone stared.

"You have a girl." The chief noted.

"A woman." I replied.

"You've never brought a grownup before," A warrior raised his eyebrows.

"Well… I thought it time to break tradition." The boys looked at me, wide eyed.

"Wendy's a grownup?" Tootles cried.

"I can play as a girl a little longer," She assured them, ruffling Tootles hair fondly.

"Yes mother," He replied, clambering into her arms.

Wendy's face lit up and a moment later Nibs came up followed by a warrior with the gold.

"Thanking you," I took the gold and held it up. It was about the size of a grape, a little round blob, "Is that it? You couldn't even make a sword out of it!" I complained childishly.

"I doubt you'd be able to use a sword if it were made of gold," One Twin noted.

"Yeah… be a bit heavy wouldn't it?" The other chipped in.

"I'm strong." I shrugged and Wendy laughed, taking the gold from me.

"We could use it as a decoration, I'm sure I could fashion it into identical necklaces for us all."

"Yeah!"

"Well boys! Victory is ours! Now let's return to camp!" And I let out an Indian cry which everyone responded too, even the losers of the war game, and we went off into the woods singing in victory, leaving the Indians to rejoice in saving Tiger Lily.

"Mother, where are John and Michael?" Slightly asked curiously.

"They couldn't come," Wendy sighed. "But Michael might return one day…"

"Well it doesn't matter if it's a few years! We'll all still be here!" And he raced off ahead, "Victoryyyy! Oh dear Victoryyy!"

"Yeah, we're going to be here for hundreds and hundreds of years!"

"We'll be centuries old!"

"We all grow up at some point, whether we mean to or not." Wendy responded wisely.

"We'll beat time!"

"The vanquishers of time and space itself!"

"Not space! We'd have nowhere to live then!"

"Oh… yeah…"

"I suppose…" Wendy trailed off, glancing at me as if to say _when are you going to tell them we're not staying forever?_

I looked away. There wasn't any need to tell them so soon. In London, going back and living there, growing up, hadn't seemed so bad… but why couldn't Wendy and I grow up together here? Like Wendy said you grow up with experience and not time itself…

But my thoughts were cut off as the bushes cleared, revealing the huge tree above the burrow we'd made.

"Come on!" Slightly cried, already jumping into his hole, the others followed suit.

"You can take my hole Wendy," I said, taking her hand and leading her to the centre of the tree. Wendy lifted the catch to reveal a hollow hole, and she slipped inside and disappeared down the slide.

I looked behind me, at the trees which were now full of juicy green leaves, and the moon which was slowly rising in the sky.

Then I followed Wendy.

"-To bed Wendy?"

"But mother we haven't had a bedtime for months!" Nibs complained, as I landed elegantly on my feet at the bottom of my slide.

"Yeah!"

"No bedtime… no wonder you all look tired!"

"We're not tired!" They chorused all yawning profusely.

"We've had to stay awake in case the Indians attacked!" Nibs excused.

"I'm sure they wouldn't attack a bunch of children in the middle of the night!" Wendy's voice lifted at the end of the sentence, turning her statement into a question.

The lost boys nodded solemnly, "They keep their promises, if they declare war, they could attack at any moment! Grrr!" Nibs clawed in the air and pounced on Curly.

"Ahhh! Mother save meeee!"

"There are no truces! They only live to beat their enemy! INTO THE DIRT!" Slightly finished dramatically, standing on the bed to make himself look taller, then hitting his head with a thump. "Ow…"

"Nibs stop of it dear!" Wendy ordered, before hurrying to Slightly's side and inspecting his head. "Well… thank goodness they're not attacking you now, let's all go to sleep."

"But what about our victory party!"

"Yeah! We can't go to sleep now!"

"Tomorrow?" Wendy tried.

I smirked, Neverland was a place where you could do whatever you wanted, she couldn't possibly get the boys to bed against their will!

"The feel of victory will be long gone by tomorrow… we'll probably be at war again…" Slightly shook his head gravely.

"I see…" Wendy began hesitantly.

But then a spark of inspiration took hold in my head, "Nope boys! You need your rest! We shall spend a week dancing in victory tomorrow, and we shall not sleep until it's over!"

"YEAH!"

"A week awake Peter?!"

"Okay… two days then…" I amended under Wendy's motherly glare.

The boys whooped and rushed to their beds and hammocks.

But at that moment Tinkerbell zoomed out from her cubby hole, sweeping the sleep form her eyes and crashed into my chest, sending me whirling backwards through the air so I smashed into my own throne, "Ahh Tink!" I laughed and raised her in my hands.

She tinkled at me, "PETTERRR! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I MEAN I KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN BUT WHY SO LONG!?" She danced atop my hand, sprinkling pixie dust throughout the room in her happiness.

Then it hit me. If I was going to live in London, I'd be parted from Tinkerbell a lot longer than a few months.

"Why the long face Peter?" She tinkled, settling on my hand in a concerned manner.

"It's nothing Tink, gods I missed you!" I blurted out suddenly, so out of character I surprised even myself, and I stroked her tiny head gently- as she frowned at me in confusion, her eyes saying _who are you and what have you done with Peter Pan?-_ and then I bent down to whisper in her ear. "Can you set the fairy dance up tonight?"

"Hm? Why?"

I glanced across at Wendy and she raised her eyebrows knowingly, "Of course I will… there's no need for me to be jealous anymore anyhow…" I raised my eyebrows at her forwardness, "I have a lover!"

I sucked in sharply, "Oo! Who?"

"He's called Terrance, he's a dust keeper!" She quivered in excitement, "I can ask him to help me! It can be another excuse to see him! Yipee! Thank you Peterrrr! You always bring good luck to Neverland!" And she fluttered through the rooftop.

"What did Tink say?" Wendy asked as she puffed up Tootles' pillow.

"Oh nothing much, she just missed me." I lied, turning to fiddle with the clock above my throne.

Wendy narrowed her eyes, "Why'd you both look at me?"

"It's a secret!" I winked at her and the right side of her lip peeked in a smile.

"Anyway!" Wendy clapped her hands loudly, "Time for bed!"

"Awww!" The boys all moaned.

"Now, now, you heard Peter earlier; we'll spend two days partying tomorrow!"

"Quickly get into bed, the quicker we fall asleep the quicker the party starts!" Slightly cried and they dived into their beds.

"Teeth first! You must remember to brush your teeth," They slogged out of bed and slowly dragged their feet across the floor.

I smirked and settled in my chair.

"You too Peter," Wendy smirked back.

I huffed, "I'll do mine later!" And I placed my hands behind my back.

"We'll do ours later too Wendy!" Curly cried and they raced off to their beds again.

"You're such a bad influence!" Wendy half laughed, half reprimanded.

I winked.

"Tell us a story Wendy!" Tootles yawned vociferously.

"Alright…" And she settled down at the foot, or head, or foot, it could be either, one sleeps at the top, the other at the bottom, of the twins bed and tucked them both in. "Once upon a time there lived a boy named Peter Pan," I straightened up and began to listen. Seeing me do so she shook her head but her eyes twinkled, "who never wanted to grow up, until one day-"

"Skuughghghhh…."

Wendy paused as Curly's snore rocketed through the room.

I held back a laugh, as five others began shortly after simultaneously.

"Apparently your stories are getting dry Wendy!" I mocked.

She made a sound of indignation and stomped silently up to me, "Apparently stories about you are just too dull these days, they clearly don't see much in their leader anymore." She retorted smugly.

I too let out a squawk of indignation.

"I'd go and get into something a bit brighter than that muddy, grey clothing Wendy," I retorted, then my voice softened, "We're going somewhere special."

"Are you saying my choice of clothing isn't adequate for you?"

I tugged on her hair playfully, "Anything you wear is adequate for me… or anything you're _not wearing_ also happens to be adequate-"

But I was cut off by her battering a pillow against my head, "Peter Pan!" She scolded, "You dirty minded child! You're as bad as Shakespeare's characters!"

"Shakespeare was dirty minded?" I asked, "Isn't he a literature genius?"

"A very dirty minded one at that." She raised her eyebrows and placed the pillow down, plumping it up before she did so. "I suppose I'll have to wait until tomorrow to give this burrow its needed spring cleaning then."

I stretched back against my chair and sighed audibly, "I suppose so…"

"I'll go change in your room," and she took her case and slipped behind my khaki coloured curtain.

I sighed and stared into the small fire that surprisingly hadn't burned out since the beginning of Neverland, or burned down the wooden home we'd made for that matter. All of a sudden the flames transformed into the words _we missed you._

I grinned, "Everyone misses me."

 _Are you going to London to grow up?_

I leapt down and covered the words with my body, "Shh! I haven't told them yet! How did you even know?"

 _I know a lot more than you think Peter Pan._

"Well that's not creepy at all," I responded sarcastically.

 _I can't go to London… the people have so little belief that they can no longer read our flames…_

"I'm sorry…" I paused, at a loss of what to say, the fire barely ever talked and its words were always so random, so disorganised. Well… it had lived for an awfully long time... "I'm coming back to visit though!" I assured it.

 _You can only return if you believe, Hook getting in was an accident, a hiccup in our system, the Native grownups only got in because their beliefs in our world, the spirit world, were so strong._

"I will never stop believing."

 _I thought you said you'd never stop growing up… but you broke that promise…_

I sat back in horror, "I didn't mean to break it! There comes a time for everything; I have to grow up. But believing is something that never has to stop! They're different."

 _Belief can't last long in a world that stops believing the moment they reach adulthood._

"We'll see about that… I'm Peter Pan, the strongest believer there ever was, living with the most believing family, the Darlings, there ever was. I think I'll manage."

 _Beware; if you stay too long in their world, then you'll stay there forever._

"What's that supposed to mean?" But the fames ignored me, and returned to their dancing.

 _Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chappie:))) I apologise that there hasn't been much Tinkerbell in this story, I tried to add her in this chapter but I'm not that great at writing her tbfXD Let me know if I did okay lol!XD_

 _Thanks for reading:)_

 _Acia xxx_


	11. Chapter 11- Desire

_Hey guys! I'm not sure if this updating nearly every day will continue for long but it should do for the next few weeks at least- I might even have finished the story by September!;) (There won't be a sequel but we've still got a lot of this story left to come:P)_

Chapter 11- Desire

The moment the flames disappeared I heard the bed creak and whipped round. Slightly's leg twitched under the covers and my breath held; _did he hear all that?_ Silent as a mouse I crept over to his bed and looked over him.

His face was smooth, free of worry, and his cheeks held a healthy rosy blush. Dirty blonde hair fell across his forehead in a wild manner and his eyes were shut gently and his breathing steady. I relaxed; he must just have been moving in his sleep. He didn't hear our conversation. Although I wasn't too sure why I was that bothered if Slightly knew I was leaving… I'd always told Slightly everything, he's been my Lost Boy for the longest out of all of them, my faithful companion. As these thoughts flittered through my head I felt a stab of guilt; should I be keeping my thoughts, feelings and, dare I say it, future plans from them?

"Peter?"

I turned, trying to forget my little conundrum, and a smile appeared instantly on my face.

Wendy stood there, her hair loose- let free to curl around her ears and tumble down her chest. She was still wearing her black, full shoe heals and white socks, but her dress was entirely different. It went down to just past her knees, a style I'd never seen her wear before, and tiny white flowers dotted the baby blue material. The shoulders were puffed up ever so slightly and white lace twirled round the top of her arm and across her neck.

"You won't need your shoes." I ejaculated, at a loss of what else to say.

She glanced down, "I won't?"

"No… we won't be touching the ground…at least I don't plan to… and shoes are an essential that none of us really care to have…" I laughed, glancing round at the lost boys' grubby feet as they peaked out from beneath the bedsheets.

"So I've noticed," She replied slowly, slipping off her heels and placing them deftly at the bottom of our slide with the socks tucked cosily inside them.

The moment he shoes touched the ground I leaped forward and grasped her hand, "Let's go!"

She laughed, "You're so impatient!"

"I guess growing up didn't change that then!" I cried and we swooped upwards.

"But Peter! We'll hit the ceiling!" She exclaimed suddenly, her hand slackening in mine, but I gripped on tight, closed my eyes and we dove straight through the wooden ceiling, straight through the trunk of the tree, straight through the branches and leaves, and into the cool, fresh air.

Wendy inhaled sharply, "Magic?" She looked down below us, seeing only the top branches and leaves of the tree.

Yes, we'd just dived straight through solid wood, but not because of magic, "Imagination." I whispered, pulling her close to me. "Follow me; I want to show you something…" And I lead her towards the fairy tree, towards the Pixie Hollow.

"Where do you want to go tomorrow?" I asked her after a moments silence, turning over to fly on my back with my head resting on my bent arms.

"Hmm…" She touched her hand to her chin. "We could go swimming… go down to the beach…"

"Mermaid lagoon!" I did a loop in the air with ebullient joy but she made a grimace, "What?"

"Mermaids are so… so…"

"Lazy? Arragont?" I tried. "Smug and jealous?"

"Yes… they are a bit…" She laughed nervously.

"Mermaids hate being up early though… we could always just go at dawn…" I moved a little closer to her, my hands going to slide around her waist, my heart beating like a fast paced drum in my chest-

She glanced up at the moon, "There's never any regimented time at Neverland is there?"

I stopped moving closer to her- she just had to change the topic, didn't she?

I glanced up, too, at the dazzling silver orb that took up far more space in the sky than in London, covering almost half of the horizon (well… we were much closer to it here.) "No, there isn't," I replied, "If you want a long nights sleep… but want to be up at dawn you just have to wish it… and the night will stretch out until you wake blissfully refreshed." I sighed contentedly, but here was yet another thing I'd miss in London, "It was one in the afternoon when we arrived, but I wanted to show you something… so I wished it was night, and now it is night." I dipped slightly lower, letting my hand ruffle the leaves on the tips of the trees as we flew past.

She laughed, "Where are you taking me?"

"Secrets!" I whispered, and then I plummeted down to the ground, to a small clearing, landing elegantly on the lush grass; it was still damp from the melted snow and it felt soft beneath my bare feet.

She landed beside me, "I thought we weren't landing…"

"My wings were tired," I winked and, placing my hand on the small of her back, lead her to the edge of the clearing. "Close your eyes."

Her eyelids fluttered closed and I gently brushed aside two large bushes to reveal a breath-taking display of colours: the Fairy Dance.

"Open."

She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock, "They're like fireworks, but on the ground, and frozen in explosion, but yet still moving, while being frozen!"

"I don't know what fireworks are but… I'm sure they do." I responded hesitantly to her babble.

She grinned, "I'll have to show you when we're back in London!"

 _Back in London,_ the words repeated themselves in my head. Did I really want to go back? Was I really ready to leave? I shook my head, I had two months to mentally prepare myself for life in London, and the time for that was not now.

The fairies, or frozen fireworks as Wendy called them, twirled up, revealing the queen and her courtier dancing below us in a spiral of kaleidoscopic colours. The queen wore a golden dress that glimmered and glittered, reflecting the lustrous light coming off every single fairy making reflections of the little lights around the whole hollow. Every time she so much as twitched the dress, the reflecting lights would shift and move, so of course in a dance they were continuously rotating and spiralling round the hollow in a magnificent dance tornado of iridescence.

Wendy stared at them with blazing eyes, awestruck by their beauty and grandeur.

I lifted off the ground, flew forward and bowed down to her, "May I have this dance?"

She smiled and there came a splash of scarlet on her cheeks. Reaching out she slipped her hand into my own; it was cool and ever so soft and delicate in my own. "You may…" Grasping her waist with my other hand, I drew her to me tightly and twirled us round.

Then I pushed her off me and let her rise into the air.

She laughed openly, "Flying dancing is so much better than when your feet are stuck on the ground!"

"We can do it as much as you want…" With that I soared back up to her and twirled her round my arm once more, before I lifted her up, barely needing to hold her weight she was so happy, and held her above my head. She spread her arms out wide, like a bird in mid- flight, like an angel. Her hair fluttered like wings in the soft breeze and her eyes danced in the light from the fairies.

She was so beautiful.

I wanted to whisper those four words over and over and over to her so she never forgot how perfect she was to me.

I let her slip down and we bumped heads. Breathing a laugh, I went to kiss her (for the second time that evening.)

But she put her hand on my chest, stopping the kiss, (for the second time that evening). "Peter…" She swallowed, "You're having second thoughts about living in London, aren't you?"

My heart shrivelled and dropped like a stone, "Why do you always bring this up?" I pushed back from her and covered my face with my hands as if I could hide from the agonising choice I was making.

"So it's true then…" She sighed and folded her arms, as if she felt the need to protect herself too, "We can visit all the time Peter; you know we can!" She stated factually.

"And Londoners won't think it strange if we disappear every other week and grow half as fast as everyone else?" I bated back, confusion turning into frustration.

"Half as slow really…" She corrected in a mumble. I turned to look at a tree, to look at anything but her sympathetic face, "Well we won't visit that often obviously, but we-"

"Can visit once a year? Wendy we'll forget!" I turned back to her with a flash of anger; an emotion I hadn't felt since… since I'd left home fifty one years ago…

"No we won't!" She shouted back, her eyes piercing into my own, full of deep intensity, "You won't stop believing - trust me, trust my stories Peter, your stories. I've told you before- in the gardens by that tree- my books have all the memories trapped inside them, you can find your belief there. The fire's wrong." She finished bluntly.

I looked away once more, her eyes too fierce to maintain eye contact, "Erold's lived here for hundreds of years… I don't think he's wrong Wendy…" I tried to fight back, but her argument was so strong my words came out feeble and weak.

She opened her mouth to reply with something most likely wise and well thought-out, but then she snorted.

"What?" I frowned, looking back up at her. But my eyes widened when I saw her crumbling face, not into tears or anger, but into laughter.

"The fire's called Erold?"

"Yeah, so?" However my lips were peaking in a smile.

"It just seems like a really silly name… for something so wise and old and great…" She dissolved into giggles.

I stared at her in disbelief, a laugh bubbling up in my own throat, "That tickled you a bit didn't it?"

"I don't know why it just seems so silly…" And she snorted once more, her hand lifting up to cover her mouth.

"God Wendy, you're so rude- Erold's probably crying in the fireplace now." I playfully placed a finger to my eye and trailed it slowly down my face as though I was crying.

She slapped it lightly away, "Oh stop teasing me- I just found it funny is all."

"Hmmm…" I raised my eyebrows and she huffed.

"Seriously though Peter, trust me." Her eyes turned serious again, losing the sparkle that lighted them when she was happy.

"I do. I do trust you Wendy…" I spun her round and began dancing again. "And I won't leave you Wendy… I don't think I can for that matter," I breathed a laugh, leave Wendy, her smile, her laughter, her curiosity, her gentleness: no. I could never leave Wendy. "So you don't need to fret about that, I'll always be here for you," I stared down at my naked feet awkwardly, "I just miss this place, I miss my boys, it's just…it's hard to let go of something you've spent your whole life living in. But I couldn't leave you last year either- it hurt so bad I had to find you…" My thoughts came bubbling up to the surface; I couldn't stop the words from dropping out of my mouth. "I couldn't play like I used to- I needed you Wendy, more than I needed Neverland and the boys, and the boys and Tink are the second most precious thing to me in the world! More precious than Neverland itself; they saved me when I needed them most, they were there to brighten up my days. But I need you more. … Growing up, it's just not the easiest thing to come to terms with, because it means leaving everything I've ever known behind. But I am ready," I resolved, looking hard into her crystal orbs, "I'm ready to grow up."

She simply smiled and stroked the edge of my face, "I know…I'm trying not to be selfish… but I know it is selfish to want to take you away with me to London. And I'm sorry… I'm sorry if I ruined-"

But before she could continue I placed a finger over her scarlet lips, "No. You gave me a reason to grow up Wendy, to do something I've been afraid to do for my whole life. And leaving is my decision- it's my burden to bear."

"Okay," She responded quietly, at a loss for words. Then she nuzzled into my neck and I wrapped my arms tightly round her, entangling them in her hair. "I love you," She murmured.

I paused, "Wendy?"

"I love you so much and I should've told you plainly, not in hidden phrases and words, sooner. So I'm telling you now: I love you." Her lips moved against the base of my neck as she spoke and my heart lurched.

"I love you too Wendy, so so much…" I responded, my voice laced with passion and devotion.

Kiss me…" She whispered and her eye lids fluttered against my neck-

Then I snorted, "I would… but you've buried yourself in my neck… sooo we have a bit of a problem."

She huffed and pulled back, "Better?"

"Much," And I closed my lips around hers, letting go of all the fear and confusion, letting go of all the emotions that had haunted me for the past two months, letting go of everything but her, the feel of her lips against my own, the way her hands gripped my hips tightly, and the way her eyelids fluttered against my face.

"I love you," I mumbled into her mouth.

She giggled, "We've kissed wayyy too much in the past few days…"

"It's because you're too incredible to not kiss every ten minutes!" I moaned and pulled her back to me, plunging my tongue between her teeth and letting my hands slip down to just below her waist.

"Peter! The fairies will see!" Wendy chided me.

"Let them…" And I rose up higher with her, planting kisses along her neck.

"You matured quickly," Wendy gasped.

"I was bottling it up for fifty years," I murmured.

"I can tell," She giggled and pushed me back suddenly.

"Gwaaah!" I tumbled backwards, somersaulting at least three times.

"Does that mean I'm kissing a sixty five year old?" She made a face of disgust.

"Excuse me, I'm such a cool sixty five year old," I waggled my eyebrows.

She laughed aloud at my stupid-ness and I went to wrap my arms round her again, my lips ever so slightly parted.

But she flew backwards a metre, flicked her hair back and raised her eyebrows, "You can't take me that easily Peter… you've got to tempt me first…" And her eyes turned a shade darker, a shade I'd never seen them go before, it was deep and alluring.

"And how shall I tempt you…?" I edged closer, but she edged back once more.

"Hmm…" She licked her lips and gazed up at the moon, deep in thought.

I circled her once and she watched me like a hawk watches its prey, but this time the hawk was below its prey, and its prey stalking its predator.

I hovered, a few metres in front of her. She watched me with dauntless eyes as I began to approach her, consequently backing accidentally into a taller tree. She jumped in fright and whipped her head round. Taking the chance I drove forward and, placing my hands on either side of her head, locked her in: the tree on one side, me on three others.

Her chest rose and fell quickly, her eyes immersed in desire, and my heart pulsated against my chest. I trailed one hand along her collarbone, and began to slowly undo the buttons down her back.

She let me, watching me closely, "I shouldn't have taught you to undo buttons…" She purred.

"Too late now," I replied seductively, slipping the dress from her shoulders.

We both watched it tumble down towards the ground where the fairies caught it an instant before it landed in the wet greenery below, and flew off with it towards their home tree.

I turned to her with bated breath. She was wearing a lacy white top that covered her breasts but left her belly uncovered, and matching knickers.

"When do mermaids fall to sleep?" She asked me sweetly, as if she wasn't there in front of me half naked.

"They sleep late…every night is a party night but the beach will do," I replied nonchalantly.

"Well then… I'll race you," And she slipped out from my cage by dropping down towards the ground, and zoomed off through the air towards the cove.

"Hey!" I cried out with a laugh, chasing after her.

We were there in moments and she landed on the beach. I, however, dove straight into the cool water and whirled in the depths, before resurfacing and flicking my wet hair from my face.

She laughed at me warmly and wandered slowly in up to her knees.

I swam towards her and, when it became too shallow, lifted up from the sea and hovered just above the water, "You're not getting in?"

"Not yet… it's my turn first…" Quick as a flash she pulled me down and pushed me lightly into the sand, her knees straddling my hips. I squeaked in surprise and she laughed, beginning to untie my top. She did it slowly, her hands taking many breaks to stroke along my chest. She paused when she reached my scar, her fingers suspended across the fresh cut. Then she leaned down and painted it tentatively with tiny kisses.

I closed my eyes and rested my head upon the velvety sand, soaking up the feel of her lips against my skin.

Seconds later she undid the last bow on my leafy attire and chucked it across the beach where it fluttered in the sand; a mirror image of my nerves.

She then pressed her hands into my chest, veered her head towards mine and kissed me slowly and passionately, I returned the favour, dragging my hands across her bare back in loops and shapes. She shuddered at my touch and the water lapped at our toes.

Xxxxxxxxx

The sun was slowly rising when I woke; our clothes were folded neatly on top of each other by the side of us. I breathed a laugh, "Fairies…"

Glancing across at Wendy's sleeping figure, I turned onto my side, the morning sand soft against my skin, and reached out a hand, trailing it down her arm. She shivered at my touch and her eyes flickered open.

"Mornin'" I saluted playfully.

"Good morning," She replied, her eyes alight with happiness, and she pecked me on the cheek before snuggling into my side. "Can we relive last night?" She asked softly after a moment of silence.

"You can never have too much of a good thing…" I warned teasingly.

She pouted.

"But perhaps I can come up with another excuse for the boys… so I can disappear with you again tonight…" I winked and she breathed a laugh.

Then she started, "Oh my goodness! The boys will be awake soon!" And she leapt up, her warmth leaving the side of my chest cruelly, "I'm going to get dressed- just in case the boys find us like," She glanced down, "This…"

I laughed aloud and stretched, "Yes… I better too…"

So we whipped on our clothes and sat side by side in the sand, looking out towards the horizon where the sun was peeking out to say hello.

"Party dayyy!" Wendy beamed at me, "Should we be getting back soon?"

"Oh the boys won't miss us," I replied, reading between the lines, "They'll just set up if we're not there." I smiled down at her and she leaned against me.

"I'm so happy."

I rested my head atop of hers, "Same… I wish we could just live here… right now in this single moment. Encase it forever."

But of course good things never last forever.

"Hard to starboard!" A faint cry travelled across the water and I jerked up.

The Island seemed to shudder, and an icy wind blew our hair across our faces and forced the trees to yield to it, pushing them into an unsolicited bow to the oncoming evil.

"What?" Wendy glanced at me in concern, brushing her hair harshly from her eyes, "Peter?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

But she didn't need telling what, as at that very moment the huge bow of a ship made itself visible as it went to cross in front of the bay.

Wendy stood sharply, as did I, "Is that-?"

But there was no mistaking it, the flag seemed larger than before, a deadly black flag, death marked across the centre in the shape of a skull. Across the side, the letters joined together in long tangled nooses, sat the words 'The Jolly Roger.'

He was stood at the helm, his head held high. His black locks were blowing in the freezing wind giving him a short black cape: Satan's superhero.

His eyes glinted like the devil, completely contrasting their striking azure colour.

Captain James Hook.

 _Oh dearrr… Captain Hook is back ladies and gentlemen!XD Did any of you spot the Harry Potter reference? There was a Pirates of the Caribbean reference in there too but it was a lot more inconspicuous:P_

 _Anyways thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter- let me know what you thought of it down in the reviews belowww!:D_

 _Acia xxx_


	12. Chapter 12- Devil

Chapter 12- Devil

I raced through the woods, Wendy hot on my heels.

"Peter! Peter slow down!" She called out from behind me.

But I was blind to her calls, panic consumed me, choking up my lungs; my throat constricted and my breaths came in short sharp gasps. My chest seared with pain even though the wound was now fully healed.

"Peter!" I heard her shout and her hand closed round my wrist, yanking me back. "Calm down! He's out there! He's not chasing us on the Island!" She gripped me tightly and I stared, momentarily dazed, at her hard grip. "Peter- snap out of it!"

I looked up at her, images of Hook's face as he jeered at me from behind the flapping sails, the boys tied to the mast, Wendy falling towards the plunging depths of the ocean, and agonising pain ripping apart every sane part of my body.

My body convulsed in a shiver.

"No… no he'll come for you. For you and the boys- he always does. He goes after the things I care about most… he'll try to break me emotionally. He never could before; everything has always been a game Wendy. It was always a game- it didn't matter whether Hook captured someone, because we'd turn it into a game. But now… after what happened last time… Hook broke Wendy! He snapped, he realised he'd never beat us because it was always a game! He got serious last time Wendy- he always was but last time I mean… he got real…" I bit my lip, "When Hook first came to Neverland he was never that bad- an English sailor he was! With a knack for being dishonest- but he always held on to having good form! But then, killing us boys, beating us became an obsession, you can tell when you look in his eyes- he's a maniac! A maniac driven mad by his past and the desire to beat us. He'll come after us. It's just a matter of time… We have to-" I broke off, almost wheezing with desperation, "We need to… do something!" I was shouting by the end, my mouth dry, and the sand in my toes had become uncomfortable and scratchy instead of having its previous soft, soothing texture.

Wendy looked at me hard, "No. Stop panicking; you won't get anywhere by flipping out. I'm calm Peter, and if it's like you say and he'll go after the people you care about you'd presume I'd be the most uptight. But I'm not, because panicking won't get us anywhere." She loosened her grip on my wrist and instead curled her fingers round my hand, "We can fight him off, just like last time: together. Let's turn it into a game, because it's fear, and not power, that will destroy us."

I nodded silently, taking deep breaths and forcing my heart to slow down.

"You're going to go into camp and tell the lost boys that Hook is back. And then we're going to have a victory party, and ignore Hook completely. Let him make the first move. You never know," She shrugged, "Perhaps he's come to apologise!"

"Don't be so naïve," I sighed.

"Don't be so afraid." She replied soothingly.

"Okay," I squeezed her hand and rested my head atop of hers. She wrapped her arms round me and hugged me tightly, "I won't let him have you," I whispered, "I'll protect you."

"I know you will… now let's have a party!"

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"How big!? We'll burn the entire forest down!" Curly cried, as Wendy and I stepped up to hangman's tree.

"YAYYAYAYA FIREEEE!" The twins chorused.

"I, for one, would rather NOT burn to death," Nibs chipped in.

"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"

"No! It can be big but it must be controlled!" Slightly's commanding voice took over the camp as Wendy and I brushed aside the leaves. "We can't have a repeat of earlie…" Slightly trailed off as we stepped into the camp.

The deep-rooted tree stood tall and proud, it's branches thick and unyielding in the breeze; the many holes inside it were obscured with lush leaves and bushes, making it look as ordinary as any other tree in the forest, apart from the clearing that lead like a moat in a loop around the tree. It was in front of the tree in this loop that six boys stood, guilt plastered on their faces, looking up at me and Wendy.

They were stood around something.

"Sorry Cap," Curly mumbled.

"I told them not too!" Slightly stood in front of them.

The twins began to suck their thumbs and Tootles paused his playing with Tinkerbell in the dry mud at the base of the tree.

"Sorry for what?" I asked, staring at them all with raised eyebrows as I walked forward to see what they were stood around.

They stepped aside for me, revealing a huge collection of leaves and twigs, "This is great! We'll get the best fire ever going!" I turned to them all with confusion, "Why did you think this was bad?"

"Not that," Slightly hopped form one foot to the next nervously, before pointing up the tree.

I glanced back at the tree. A similar collection of twigs and leaves stood right underneath the base of the tree, all charred and shrivelled up. But the fire had seemingly risen up and side of the tree was black and burnt.

I clucked my tongue and turned to them, "Mistakes happen!" I said cheerily.

"YAYAYAYA!" They all yelled, jumping on me in one fail swoop.

"Gahh!" I fell backwards and they collapsed on top of me.

"HUMAN JENGA!" Curly cried, "I'll be the peak!"

"NO!" Seven voices replied.

"Aw…." He sniffled and I clambered out of the pile of boys.

"Right men, at attention!" They all got into order of height-

"Oy Slightly move out the way- I'm there!"

"Well I think you've grown bigger than Curly!"

"And how's that possible?"

"We went to London a year ago! You probably grew! And you're just denying it!"

"What? For like one hour, I don't think so!"

"Well I'm there actually!"

"Oy Nibs!"

"Ow you're standing on my foot!"-

"AHEM!" I called out loudly; they all jumped and scurried to the correct place. "We have an issue boys. A big one…" My tone turned serious and once again images of Hook swamped my head, like a disease I couldn't rid myself of.

Wendy touched my shoulder lightly.

"Peter?" Slightly frowned at me.

I gulped and took a deep breath, "Hook is back."

They gasped.

"That's where you were! You were fighting Hook all night!" Curly slapped a hand to his mouth.

"You should've called on us!" Nibs added loudly.

"No-"

"Well then, I say we get our swords immediately and fight him straight away!"

"He's probably here for the treasure we stole from his ship."

"Wait… I thought we had his ship…? So how did he get here?"

"A dingy!" Tootles shouted.

"No!" I took control before things escalated, "I wasn't fighting him all night, I and Wendy were… were erm… dancing!"

"All night?" Curly made a face.

"Didn't you get tired?" Nibs stared at us in astonishment.

"Children don't get tired now do they?" Wendy chipped in.

They all nodded quickly.

"Yep!"

"Of course they don't!"

"Agreed mother! Completely!"

"We saw Hook's ship this morning. Not his old one, we still have that one in mermaid lagoon. Seems he's got a now one," I sighed heavily, "I and Wendy have made the decision to leave him alone."

"LEAVE HIM ALONE?!" The twins chorused.

"There's no point in engaging in battle! Why run from danger when we can stay here and have a party?"

They looked at me like I was crazy.

"But it's all a game isn't it?" Curly said softly.

"Yeah," The twins looked up at me.

"No… Peter's right. You all remember what happened last time?" Slightly stepped in and I relaxed; glad to have someone who understood. "I don't ever want a repeat of that. Let's just ignore Hook- I bet that'll frustrate him more than us answering to his bait anyway!" Slightly grinned and the boys cheered.

That was the first moment I saw it; Slightly's natural ability as a leader. I always put him in charge, whatever the occasion, but it was only then that I truly let the relief come over me; I could leave Neverland, and Slightly would be there to take my place as Captain Pan. He could control them, play with them, be their leader, with much less faults than I myself had, although he'd never admit it.

"So… party time?" Curly looked at me questioningly and the others followed in his lead.

"Party time!" I agreed and another cheer rose up.

"Twins and Nibs, go and get coconuts! And don't forget to get some straws from the river weeds! Slightly and Curly go and get some more firewood and pile it in that corner. Wendy go with Tootles and bring up blankets and fruit form below, as well as a flame from Erold." They all obliged immediately, scampering off to play their part.

Xxxxxxxxx

"EVERYWHERE WE GOOO!" I sang, stood atop a rock that we'd made into a seat/ stage.

"EVERYWHERE WE GOOO!" Everyone replied in song, the light from the fire dancing in their eyes. Nightfall had fallen quickly once more, but we'd partied all day. The leftovers of our feast were still apparent with coconut skins, dirty planks of wood we used as plates, apple cores, pineapple skins, and jackets (that had been released of duty in the heat) that were strewn across the camp; oh well, we'd clear up when the party finished.

"PEOPLE WANNA KNOWW!"

"PEOPLE WANNA KNOWW!"

"WHO WE AREEE!"

"WHO WE AREE!"

"WHERE WE COME FROM!"

"WHERE WE COME FROM!"

We were screaming it now, our voices blasting our throughout Neverland. Once or twice in parties before we'd had visits form the Indians telling us to shut up, that we were keeping up their young. This was most likely one of those days. But I didn't care.

"SO WEE TELL THEM!"

"SO WEE TELL THEM!"

I think I secretly wanted Hook to hear us, to hear us happy and carefree. Just to spite him.

"WE'RE THE LOST BOYS!"

"WE'RE THE LOST BOYS!"

"FROM NEVERLAND!"

"FROM NEVERLAND!"

"AND IT'S ALL OURS!" I finished and they all leaped off their tree stump and rock seats with a cheer, raising their coconuts into the sky, and spilling some, or rather a lot, in Tootles case.

"Oh Tootles dear!" Wendy cried, rushing over to help him clean up.

But Tootles wriggled out of her grasp, "Milk for all!" He cried.

The boys dived on him, licking the split milk of his clothes and skin.

Wendy cringed and stiffened; I laughed aloud at her facial expression. "Unhygienic conditions are the best!" I took a large gulp of my own milk. I was drunk with panic, fear and happiness. Happy at the party, panicked that Hook was waiting round the corner, and afraid that any one of them could be stolen from my grasp.

"I'm going to get more firewood," Wendy breathed a laugh as she watched the boys and went to turn away.

"No Wendy wait!" I leapt down from the rock and pulled on her arm, "It's dangerous to go alone I'l-"

"I'll go Peter!" Slightly came out from nowhere and grinned up at Wendy.

I stepped back and we fist bumped, "Keep her safe," I whispered to him as Wendy went off towards the tree line.

"I will do Peter," He replied, winking at me reassuringly.

"Be careful!" I called, just once more for good measure, as they disappeared into the blackness.

"We will!" They both replied their voices faint through the bushes.

I turned back to my boys, "HUMAN JENGA PLEASE PETER PLEASE!" Curly cried.

"Curly's on the bottom!" I yelled and dived on top of him.

He grunted as my weight crashed down on him and I laughed, Nibs leaped on top of me with an "oof!" from both Curly and myself, the Twins barrelled on together and Tootles clambered up the tower we'd made and raised his coconut into the air at the top, "TO PETER PAN! CONQUERER OF ALL!"

"YEAH!"

But then he started jumping, "NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!"

"Aghh!"

"Tootles!"

"Stop jumping!"

"Ooo my back!"

"Ahahaha Peter has an old person's ba-ouch! That was my neck!"

"NEVER GROW UPPPPP!" He finished at last.

I flinched and stood up, "WHOAAA!" They all cried as they fell in a tumble to the floor.

"HERE'S TO THE NEXT ADVENTURE!" I screamed, cupping my hands together to amplify my voice.

"WOWOWOWOOOO!"

I grinned as they all plonked back down on the rocks laughing and smiling. If this wasn't ignoring Hook then I didn't know what was.

But I had to check.

"I'm going to pee! Be two mins!" I went to race off but then-

"Everyone stalk Peter while he-"

"Nope! Keep to the code boys…" And I motioned for them to continue.

"If it's a pee you can stalk, if it's a poop then you cannot!" They chorused.

"Yes! Be back in a moment!" I disappeared into the undergrowth, with no intention of going to the toilet; instead I flew up through the top branches of the trees, narrowly avoiding them scratching my face, although they did take the liberty to move slightly out of my way before I passed, and rushed into the fresh air.

Hook's new Jolly Roger was positioned in the middle of the bay, its usual spot. I dived into the water and swam with agility on par with a fish itself, towards the great hulk of wood Hook called his 'precious baby.' I swam hurriedly until I saw the bottom of the great vessel come into view. Resurfacing I flew, my body practically flat against the side of the ship, up to the captain's cabin. I let the laughs and catcalls of his crew fade into non-existence; I wasn't interested in them.

The tunes of a piano playing 'A Pirates Life for me' drifted through the glass panes and into my ears. Here I peeked through the window:

Hook was sat atop his piano stool, his fingers lazily falling onto the keys of the piano, "Yoho! Yoho! A pirates life for me. We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! Yo ho… yo ho… a pirates life… for me," He finished with a daunting whisper, before closing the lid with an audible, 'snap!'

I sucked in a deep breath when he did, the word 'kidnap' spiralling round my head like a yoyo, making me dizzy.

Hook paused, and tilted his head to one side.

With a flinch I dropped below the window; I could practically feel Hook's eyes singing the tips of my hair as he looked out at the still sea behind me. Then his chair scraped against the floor and heavy footsteps began to clop, getting louder and louder and louder.

I plummeted like a stone into the depths of the ocean. I swam down quickly, letting the darkness of night and the coverage of water hide me from his incisive eyes. I looked up, when I was convinced I was thoroughly hidden, just in time to see Hook open his window and glance around into the night; he looked into the depths above me but I was too deep to see, my costume camouflaging me against the seaweed.

With narrowed eyes and a malicious smile playing on his lips he closed his window, "Smee!" I heard him call.

I paused then, my breath held tight in my lungs, did I dare listen? Was he going to mention a plan? Or was it a trap? But I shook myself and returned quickly to the shores. I came to make sure he was safely on the ship where he couldn't harm anyone; I didn't come to fall into a trap or to listen to his plans.

Wendy was right, we should just ignore him.

 _Hey guys! Thanks for reading- hope you enjoyed this chapterrrr;P The next one should be a little longer…;)_

 _As always don't forget to review! Constructive criticism always welcome:D_

 _Acia xxx_


	13. Chapter 13- A Dark and Twisted Past

Chapter 13- A Dark and Twisted Past

It was as I was flying back towards the camp, trying fretfully to come up with an excuse for my sodden clothes (I fell into the river? They'd never believe me. Perhaps I should just say I lost control and my pee made a bid for freedom…yuck) that I heard their voices.

"He's just… different."

"All people change Slightly," Wendy's voice sailed into my ears, calming and soft.

"I know… he just seems… how do I put it… _older_."

I paused and drifted downwards into the tops of a tree, Wendy and Slightly were sat at the bottom of it, the wood collected and resting at their feet.

"How? He's the same Peter, the same person that left you a month ago."

"He used to be more playful… in the olden days he'd come back brandishing his sword calling to us to storm the pirates. And he'd help us fight the Indians… not break up the fight." Slightly's half complained.

"He helped you win the fight Slightly; we rescued Nibs!"

"No… I mean yes he did but… you never saw him back… back then." His voice took a more serious tone and I pressed myself against the tree, my breath held sharp. I knew I shouldn't listen but… something was tying me to the tree, stopping me form moving an inch. "He was driven by something, this rage, almost, that he turned into happiness and fun; he'd make everything into a game. He scoffed at tears and anger, saying they were stupid. It was fun; only fun. That's who he was… that was Peter Pan." He threw his hands up in the air, "The embodiment of fun! He kept us cheery, kept us always smiling. We weren't allowed to think any bad thoughts, and that's how he taught us to fly; he made us forget all the bad stuff…But now… he's so much more…"

"So much more grown up," Wendy finished, "Change isn't all that bad Slightly," She added sincerely.

Slightly fell into a state of musing, and then said, so softly I could barely hear him, "I know…Yeah… he used to be scary… at one point…but then he changed after… _it_ \- " Slightly gulped, " _It_ changed him… he was more relaxed after that, not so… _intense_." My heart pulsated so loudly I was afraid they'd hear it, but they didn't notice my figure concealed above them, "I shouldn't tell you this- he wouldn't like it."

Wendy sighed, "No… no I don't mind. If you need to talk to someone Slightly talk to me."

"A grownup," He breathed a laugh, "Talk about it to a grown-up, cos they always know best! They have a solution to everything!" His voice took a mocking accent, but then he paused, "Sorry…"

"No, I understand, I was a child once too Slightly; I still am. I can't offer a solution to everything, no grown up can, but I can help take a burden off your shoulders by carrying your secret."

Slightly shifted below me, turning to look at her no doubt.

"Besides, I don't have nearly the amount of experience you have; you'd be more suited to find a solution to any problem you have yourself," I could almost feel her smiling in that soothing, motherly way.

"What?"

"You've lived so much longer than me Slightly… you grow up with experience, not with age." She repeated what she'd told me a hundred times before.

Slightly was silent for a moment and, finding no answer to her wise words, began the original topic again, "But that's the thing, he'd never have brought you to Neverland thirty odd years ago. He was so… anti- anything but lost boys…anti-anything but fun... and this… this desire, this fun rage (if you can call it that) got too far...just once…" Slightly took a deep breath and I felt my heart squeeze, so tightly I felt like I couldn't breathe. "He was called Lumpy, eight years old. He came in 1868."

Tears unwillingly filled my eyes; Lumpy… that little Lost Boy…The image of blood splattered on the ground, Tickle and Slightly standing with their eyes wide and lifeless, watching as I held the child in my arms, imprinted itself in my head. I closed my eyes but it was there, on the inside of my eyelids; blood, dirt, tears all mixed in one mess.

Inescapable.

"He was upset about his mother, and Peter, never understanding this love- his parents weren't the nicest folk, but he's only ever told me about that…anyway Peter slapped him." Slightly blurted that part of the story out, "He was angry with his moping and told him to play… to have some fun… It wasn't a bad thing- I mean playing would take his mind off the sadness, but Peter was never sensitive, or loving or anything… just happy. Only fun. He didn't understand that sometimes people need to cry. We weren't allowed to feel anything _but_ fun. It was a good life… it _is_ a good life… but we're created to feel different things… we can't always help it…"

Guilt snaked through my veins, but I shook myself harshly; I'd changed. Tootles cried sometimes and I let him. I let all the boys have freedom with their emotions.

After Lumpy.

I just never used to let myself…until Wendy came into my life. Wendy was the only one I'd opened the doors to, the only one I'd let my emotions flow out for.

" _Oh stop winging!" Peter shouted, and his hand hit Lumpy's flesh with such a thwack, I could almost feel the stinging in Lumpy's cheek myself. I glanced across at Tickle who stared back with wide eyes._

 _Lumpy was silent._

 _Although I could still hear the sound of his sobs ringing faintly in the air._

" _There, now why don't we go and fight some Indians!" Peter leapt up and grasped his dagger off the tree stump._

 _With one sympathetic glance at Lumpy I bounded up to the sword box, "Yeah!" Fun and adrenaline bubbled through me and I grasped the sword tightly, my hands curving perfectly round the handle._

" _Injuns, injuns!" Tickle cried, brandishing his sword, "Avast thee Slightly!"_

" _Aha!" I met his blow with a clang that rebounded round the hollow tree uncomfortably._

" _Let's go!" Peter crowed and we rushed out, Lumpy at our heels, always clutching his teddy bear._

"He wasafraid to get left behind, but also afraid to come with us; I could feel it. I always have been good with sensing emotions...Anyway it was when we got to the Indians camp, Peter dared Lumpy to steal their horses, to let them loose. You know what Indians are like with their horses, they're practically gold to them, more important than gold. The only reason they wanted our gold yesterday was because it came from sacred water..." Slightly trailed off once more, "Anyway…Lumpy didn't want to do it…"

 _Lumpy shook his head and began to suck his thumb, tears trailing down his cheeks._

" _Oh for god's sake! Why do you cry?" Peter ripped part of his old brown shirt off, not that there was much left of it now, and handed it to Lumpy, "Wipe your eyes and unlock the horses. That's an order!"_

" _Peter, perhaps-" Tickle began._

" _Shut up!" Peter shot the wise one down. Then his voice took on an enthusiastic tone, "Come on, it'll be fun, then we can watch as they run around all night trying to find them." Peter grinned._

 _I sniggered, "Let's try and trip the chief up into the lake; try make him curse I dare you!"_

" _What does an Indian curse sound like?" Tickle replied, lights shimmering in his eyes._

" _Go on Lumpy!" Peter pushed him out of our cubby hole, which concealed us from the meddling eyes of Indians, and towards the horses._

"He must have felt himself an outcast by then so he went to unlock the horses. I think he just wanted Peter's respect, wanted his acceptance or something- we all did. He was our master, master of Neverland, master of fun…"

I grit my teeth together, my heart pounding, I wanted to run away, I didn't want to hear the rest of the story, I didn't want to hear Slightly's viewpoint. I'd escaped away from it, from the responsibility of taking the blame, my whole life, but the true version, Slightly's version, wouldn't be so false.

"But the Indians were still new territory, they play with us now but back then they didn't understand our games. They'd been there for a hundred odd years- we were new, foolish outsiders to them. And they lashed out at him. In his eagerness to try to prove to Peter that he could play games with him, Lumpy took the sword from his belt and unlocked the horses in front of a brave. The brave was young too; he'd always regarded us with anger and hatred. We were of a similar age and we misunderstood each other… we were annoying brats who mocked them and tricked them… I don't blame them for lashing out."

" _Come on Lumpy!" Tickle and I praised him from the side lines as he reached the horse pen. The horses neighed restlessly, as if they could sense danger approaching._

 _Lumpy looked back at us, fear in his eyes, but also a slight whisper of excitement._

 _I relaxed; Lumpy could do this!_

 _Peter's eyes were sharp and alert, but even he couldn't see the future. "Unlock the gate you fool!" He whispered beside us._

 _But then that brave came into view._

" _Oh gods, not_ _ **him**_ _!" Tickle shook his head in annoyance._

" _Ugh…" I agreed; it just had to be the one that hated us most!_

 _The brave's eyes were glowing red in the firelight from a close by torch. The moment his sharp eyes saw the shadow of Lumpy he cried out, "AWA! AWA!"_

" _No!" My voice floundered involuntarily into the air but Peter slapped a hand over my mouth and dragged me back into the hole._

" _Let him fight him, let him deal with this himself. Trust me!" Peter whispered harshly._

 _Tickle shook next to me._

 _The brave ran towards Lumpy._

" _Peter… he's not like us! He's too scared- let's just go and explain to them…" Tickle began._

" _What? Explain to grown-ups that we were trying to have a bit of fun! Pah! They'd never listen… just wait… he can do this!" Peter grinned and in the moonlight his eyes seemed to glint devilishly._

 _We turned back to the scene._

 _Lumpy turned in fright, dragging out his sword instinctively. His face turned white as a sheet._

 _The brave spat at him and shouted in his tongue words none of us understood._

"Lumpy wept out in fear, but the brave took it for mocking, like Peter had mocked them a thousand times before. Like we'd mocked them before. The brave didn't understand the difference between Lumpy and we and he pulled out his spear."

 _The sharp end of his spear gave a vitriolic grin in the fire light._

"In his fright of both the Indians and Peter, Lumpy reached up and unlocked the gate, the horses backed away in fright, and tore out of the pen, one of them knocked Lumpy as it passed, I still remember the sound as he hit the ground, that awful crunch. He was vulnerable to the Indian then, and as Lumpy turned and stood to run, the brave let his spear fly." Slightly's words ran on all in one breath.

" _NO!" Peter screamed out, flying into the air haphazardly._

 _I and Tickle both stood as he dashed out, watching in horror as the blade pierced his skin, so easily it ripped him in two, as if he were made of candyfloss._

 _Peter caught Lumpy before he hit the ground._

"But it had struck his heart… he was dead. Peter went bezerk, he slashed out and injured the brave so badly he died of infection a few days later."

"And the Indians forgave him?" Wendy managed to choke out after a moment.

"We soon forgot… that's what Neverland does to you, it makes you forget. Unless you physically try to remember, scenarios like that won't haunt you. To the parents of the brave he is just a lost memory… like Lumpy is to us…Kind of like when John and Michael nearly forgot your parents."

"Someone actually died…" There was a creak; Wendy leaning back against the tree most likely, tears dropping out of her eyes like stones. I could hear them, an occasional splatter on the ground.

I collapsed into the branches of the tree, the distant memory flooding back to me. How Lumpy had always cried and I being a fool had forced him into games that put him in irrational danger.

"Peter didn't fly for months; then he went to England and came back with Nibs. He blamed himself entirely, but me and Tickle didn't do anything either. We're all responsible…" My breath caught in my throat, I wanted to leap down and cry out to him that it was all my fault, and that I was sorry for disappearing and never mentioning the lost boy again, that he didn't have to blame himself. But I stayed, sat there in that tree. Watching as a shooting star streaked across the sky like the tears were streaking across my face.

"We all forgot after that. Then Captain Hook arrived and both we and the Indians were faced with a foe that threatened us both. We fooled the pirates, tricked them and mocked them. The Indians praised us for it, and after that we've come to an understanding. I mean we play all the time now…" Slightly trailed off.

Wendy was silent and I gazed up at the immense moon and the stars. They winked at me cheerily, not knowing the agony pressing against my heart.

"I don't know why… I just felt I had to tell someone about it." Slightly began again, being a hater of silence. "Peter looks crystal clear on the outside, but deep inside he's haunted by a twisted past Wendy, by his parents, by growing up, by his mistakes. And since you, since the first girl came here, he's changed. He's grown up. I heard him at the fire last night… I know he's going back to London with you to grow up. And I'm fine with that. Honest! I just… I worry about him. He's not the stable Captain Pan everyone knows; none of us are. We all have our dark secrets Wendy," Then he took a deep breath, "I half wish… I wish I could join you. I want to join you- I want to grow up. But I can't."

"Slightly?" I could imagine Wendy placing a hand on his shoulder and I breathed shakily in the tree above. Lumpy had turned into a distant memory, but now the memory was stuck in my head, the image of him lying in my arms, tears leaking out of his eyes even in death. I remember the fear, the confusion, how had a game turned so lethal? I'd ran off, back home, to find the windows locked on me, the doors shut, another child living up to my parents expectations in my place. I'd felt like an outcast, completely driven out of my own domain. Confusion haunted me, I lost my flight for a while. So I searched for another lost boy, occupied my mind with new games to play, new adventures to go on.

I'd forgotten him.

"I'm too afraid to leave, I've lived here almost as long as Peter, and I don't have a Wendy to save me when I grow up. I can't bring myself to leave. I lived back in the 1860s… I don't know what society… what _life_ … is like anymore."

"Slightly you will always have me…"

"No… I mean I don't have someone to love like Peter does. Someone to grow up with, to share my life with, to marry and-"

"Marry? Slightly Peter and I are hardly-"

"Don't pretend. So… you went to dance with the fairies last night huh? I went for a walk; saw the fairies carrying your dress to the beach." Slightly breathed a laugh.

Wendy gasped, "You didn't-"

"No, I didn't go and investigate. I might be a lost boy… but I know grown-ups do… stuff… together…" His voice cracked awkwardly.

"Erm… yes…" Wendy gulped and I could practically see her twiddling with her fingers in my mind. "So… you have any love interest at all?" Her voice took on a playful tone.

"There's not much choice but… well… Tiger Lily's fit."

Wendy giggled.

"But that's a grown-up thought! So I'm not going to think like that. Peter is right about one thing; growing up is confusing. I'm not ready for it."

"No one ever is," Wendy paused. "And I think you're quite the grown-up already."

I turned my head to watch them. Slightly stared at Wendy in shock, "Thanks…" Then he smiled, one of those smiles where you try fretfully not to show how happy you are in order to not embarrass yourself. And one of those smiles in which you feel guilty about, guilty for being happy about growing up.

"I think Peter and you are cute together…" He said suddenly.

Wendy laughed, "Thank you."

They were silent for a while after that. I closed my eyes and sighed; Slightly, at least, understood my leaving. I vowed to talk to him before I left. To talk to him properly, tell him everything. I owed him that much, he was my most faithful lost boy after all.

"Shall we get back to the party?" Wendy's voice sailed into my ears.

"Yeah…"

The two stood up and left.

I jumped, taking a moment to process their words, and raced towards camp, knowing I had to get there before them so as not to rouse suspicion.

At least I'd dried off.


	14. Chapter 14- Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

Chapter 14- Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

The party continued all night, and I pushed Lumpy's story to the back of my mind and had fun, I told myself it was for the boys' sake, but secretly I think it was for my own. Again I was trying to overlook my mistake. But, regardless of my attempt to distract myself, by morning the boys' eyes were drooping and they had begun to slump against the tree and the ground.

"I'm not tired…" Curly yawned, his head, which had been resting on his hand, slipping down and smashing against his knees, "OWWWW!"

"Shhh! Curlyyoutooloud…"

"Nibs… get away from the fire…" Slightly mumbled, his eyes glazed over as he stared into the sky, hands behind his back.

"Nibs!" I said sharply as me and Wendy shared a coconut together, our straws nudging each other impishly.

But then he began to slope, to slowly turn towards the boiling flames.

"Peter! He's asleep!" Wendy yelped and rushed to grab him, flicking the coconut away and splashing it all over me and the rock.

"Gah!" I cried out.

Curly snorted at the sight of me. "Everyone dive on Peter!"

I swooped easily out of the Twins', Tootles' and Curly's grasps, and over to Nibs, plucking him effortlessly out of the way of the flames before Wendy even reached him, and deposited him safely on the soft ground.

Wendy's shoulders drooped and she instantly relaxed.

"See? He's all fine!" I said playfully.

He let out a horrendously loud snore and everyone flinched.

Silence.

"Oh shut up! That could've got serious!" Wendy batted back suddenly.

"Oooo burn Peterrrr!" Slightly teased.

"Oy!" I kicked his face lightly.

"EWEWEWEW! You're foot's gross!" Slightly complained, slapping it away.

"Pfft," I sniggered.

"Can we not lick the coconut milk?" Curly sucked his thumb and whined.

"Nope, bed time!" Wendy said sharply.

"HUHHH?" She received six moans.

"No… Wendy just wants the coconut milk to herself," I winked seductively and she burned red and thwacked me on the shoulder.

"Oww!" I cried out as a stinging pain shot down my arm, from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers.

"Not in front of the children!" She growled.

"Oh… So I can talk to you like that when they're not around…?" I asked friskily.

She glared at me.

But her eyes were twinkling.

I smiled innocently. "Right then boys, what do we do? Sleep all day…" I began knowingly.

"AND PARTY ALL NIGHT!" They chorused in reply.

I looked round the trashed camp, "Yeah we'll clear up in the evening!"

"Whoop!" They raced off to bed, Curly hoisting Nibs on his back, the Twins pulling each other, part sleep walking, and Slightly carrying Tootles down in his arms.

I and Wendy went to bed too; I gave her my corner, thinking the curtain might give her some needed privacy from the boys (and give me some time to be alone with my thoughts). "I'm going to sleep with the boys," I told her.

"Okay," She nodded, frowning ever so slightly at my decision, and kissed me on the cheek, "Night."

I paused as she went off into my room. That had been too quick a 'good night.' Where was the hug? The long kiss? I glanced round; the boys were all dead to the world so she needn't worry about privacy. "Good night…" I replied, gently closing the curtain; she was probably just confused after Slightly's story. For a single moment a felt afraid, did she hate me for it? I killed an innocent child… how could she not despise me?

I set up a feather mattress and blanket on the floor, busied myself with ruffling the pillows and blanket until, after remaking the bed five times, I lay down and tried to drift off to sleep. However after lying on the floor listening to the boys' snoring and heavy breathing for thirty minutes at least I sat up, clenching my fists together.

Sleep was impossible.

My head was too alive with a tornado of thoughts and emotions.

The boys snored away, Curly mumbling in his sleep and I envied them all for a single moment. I envied their carefree lives, their lack of responsibility and their deficiency of fear. And I felt a burst of anger at Wendy; why did she have to come and ruin everything? Ruin the fun? Why did she have to unlock all my deepest secrets and emotions? Emotions I'd sealed away fifty years ago, vowing never to let them out again.

But then I blinked and thrust the thoughts away, banished them from myself. I was thinking like a child, Wendy had brought me the greatest emotion of all; love. A sense of devotion and duty that I'd always lacked.

I stood up and flew out the top of the tree. The sun was rising high in the sky and I landed by Mermaid Lagoon softly, my feet touching down on the cold ground just as the sun rose above the mountain, flooding the lagoon in light and sparkling in the clear water.

I lay back against the rock island in the centre of the circle of water, and stared up at the looming hulk of the old 'Jolly Roger.' Her sail was ripped and tattered and a gaping, ragged hole was imprinted on her side: scars from when I and the boys had sailed her off into the open sea, wishing for a storm. One had come, more vicious than ever, it was an adventure to be sure; the boat tossed and turned for what seemed like days on end, and we were nearly grounded on the jagged sharp rocks near Skull Rock when we'd tried to come in to shore. But we'd made it back in the end, with nothing to show for it but aching bones and salty, stinging eyes.

My lips tweaked up in a smile at the memory, we'd had some fun; Curly had been the first to get soaked, stood on one side of the ship trying desperately to tie off a rope, but making a rather poor job of it. To no one's surprise the next wave we hit bounded upwards and soaked him from head to toe. He'd stared at the rest of us, dazed, as we stood at the helm laughing so hard we needed to pee.

The memory vanished and I sighed, looking out into the ocean. I couldn't see Hook's ship from here but I'd seen it on the flight over; sat in the bay. Not moving, as quiet as a cat readying itself to leap on its prey.

On us.

What on earth was he planning?

"You need sleep."

Wendy.

Of course it was Wendy.

"So do you," I replied, not bothering to look up.

"Spill; what's on your mind." She sat next to me, curling her feet up so she was sat in a ball.

"I heard you and Slightly talking." I don't know why I said it; it just came out.

"Yes."

I looked at her, "You're not angry? I eavesdropped."

She returned me gaze, "You're not angry? We talked about your darkest secret behind your back."

I looked back at the ship, "I killed him Wendy." I said blatantly.

"No, you couldn't have known the future. What you did do was kill a brave."

For some reason I felt relieved by her blunt accusation, for once someone wasn't standing up for me, fooling me into thinking I'd been right.

"You don't hate me for it?"

"Grief, rage and guilt make people do the wrong things…" Wendy said softly, "Besides you've changed. Why should mistakes you made in the past affect my view of you now?"

"I don't know," I mumbled, "Because it was still me that mocked a child, me that pushed him into danger, me that didn't act fast enough when the brave came up. That let him die in front of me when if I'd listened to Tickle or Slightly I could've saved him." My voice choked up but I blinked harshly; I didn't deserve to cry or wallow in self-pity. "I accept the blame." I said. "All that's left is to relieve Slightly of my burden; he blames himself too, but he shouldn't."

"You were all there; you all failed to act. But no one is to blame; it was a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding that cost a life."

"And a misunderstanding that taught you to be more sensitive." She batted my words back. "We learn from our mistakes Peter, we grow from them. They're just not always the nicest mistakes to make."

"You're acting like it was a minor mistake, like forgetting to stab the potatoes before putting them in the oven," I said quickly, anger apparently being the only way to channel my emotions. "It was a life!"

"And what would've happened to that life if you hadn't found him and brought him to Neverland?" She replied softly.

I paused, "He'd have lived on the streets of London…"

"Back in the 1860s? Living on London's streets? I guess there were the workhouses, full of disease, injuries, infection, then there're the mines he could've worked in…" She spoke so bluntly the words rattled the protective cages in my mind, forcing me to take her words on board, "I'd say you saved him a life of suffering."

"He might have lived." My words were feeble. Why was I fighting to blame myself?

"You taught him to fly Peter," She slipped a hand into my own and her voice took on a wistful tone, "It's every child's dream, every adults dream, to want to fly. No one knows what may have happened… but you can't let 'if's' and 'might's' consume you. It's in the past. And we must look towards the future. Think of your Lost Boys, think of what you've taught them, the life you've given them. You are not a bad person Peter."

I squeezed her hand and thought of the boys, their smiling faces, their laughter, when I first taught them to fly and Curly fell on his head and had minor concussion for a week, when Slightly and I went rampaging round London in the night stealing the hats of portly gentlemen to make into protective armour for fighting the pirates, when Tootles fell asleep on my lap and I let him sleep in my bed for the night, when Nibs and I had a swimming competition in the lagoon, when the Twins disappeared for a month and led us on a goose chase round the Island searching for them; just a bit of fun. I allowed myself a small smile, Wendy was right, I _had_ given them a good life, a place to stay. I'd saved them. But I'd still let my own rage and past affect my initial actions on Neverland; I'd inflicted it on an innocent person.

"Everyone deserves a second chance Peter," Wendy spoke softly, as if she could read the thoughts racing through my mind.

I was silent for a while after that. We both stared up at the ship, hand in hand, lost in our own thoughts. I glanced back towards the camp, where the boys were sleeping, innocent and vulnerable, in their beds under the tree.

Most likely snoring for Great Britain.

"I can't leave until Hook's defeated Wendy. I need to protect my boys."

"Slightly can protect them."

"I thought you were going to try and not be selfish." I bit back.

She breathed in deeply. "I don't want to lose you," Her voice was so soft, so small and quiet when she said those words. "Hook's after YOU Peter, not the boys, surely you know that…" She leaned against me, her head fitting snugly in the crevice between my chest and chin. "Run away with me. Run away with me where he can't hurt you."

My heart constricted in my chest at her terrified voice, but I stood my ground, "No, he'll go after the boys to get to me. He'll torture them for information of my whereabouts… I can't let another boy die because of my mistakes. Regardless he knows I won't leave the boys with him here. I can't. I can't live in peace knowing Hook's round the corner form them. Literally, he's round that strip of land Wendy." I took a few steadying breaths, forcing myself to keep the rising panic at bay.

She sighed, "I finally thought we'd made up our minds, for once, that we were going home to London…" She began honestly, "But I understand; you're making the right choice. So what do we do?"

I thought for a moment, do we engage with Hook?

"Nothing. He'll make the first move; he's simply biding his time. If the pirates come onto the Island we act. But if they're on the ship let them be. It's their safe zone." I said, the plan coming to me as I spoke, "After two months I'll come back to England with you, and every evening I'll come here and check on the boys, even if it's just for an hour, I'll sneak in and out so Hook doesn't know I've left, and I'll make myself noticeable when I'm here so he thinks I'm here all along," I looked at her. Her eyes were shining in the sunlight, and her hair taking on an amber tinge. I stroked my fingers through it and kissed her softly on her rosy lips. When I pulled back she lingered, as if she was trying to savour the taste of my lips on hers, "I know it's not ideal… but I doubt Hook will wait two months before making his next move…"

How wrong I was.

xxxxxxxx

Two months passed like lightning, Wendy told the boys stories and spent hours upon hours writing her own when we were off adventuring, we had meals and played war games with the Indians, much to Wendy's disgust we even spent a few days swimming with the mermaids (I'll admit I flirted a little bit with them but… Wendy eyed up the Indian braves too!) and I, of course, told the boys I was leaving.

I thought they'd be surprised, after all I had sworn never to grow up, but they just looked at me, sort of as if they'd known all along that I was changing.

Then Curly burst into tears. Tootles began to suck his thumb. Slightly stood up and clapped me on the back. Nibs frowned ( _"I thought you weren't ever going to grow up")._ The Twins sniffled with a _"Who's going to be our leader now?! We want Peter to stayyy!"_ Wendy tried to calm all the tears. But then I stood on top of one of the beds.

" _MEN! At attention!"_

 _They scrambled into order, bumping into each other, some rubbing their puffy eyes._

" _I do not want you to fret." I declared loudly, "There shall be a new leader." They all gasped and I smirked at my power (now that was one thing I_ _ **would**_ _miss), but then I took on a more serious tone, "And he shall be a much better leader than I ever could be, and he will look after you and play games and go on adventures with you all! That is until he's ready to grow up."_

 _I looked at Slightly with a small smile and he stared back wide-eyed, "Slightly," I held out my dagger, "This belongs to you."_

 _Slightly stepped forward, his mouth in an oval shape, "Peter? You can't be serious! I can't lea-"_

" _You've done it every time I've gone away. You're perfect. More so than me. You can find other Lost Boys, bring them here. Teach them to fly!"_

" _I can't even fly like you Peter!" He tried to press the dagger back into my hands._

 _I stepped down and placed my hands on his shoulders, "Yes you can. Just believe, believe in yourself and believe in Neverland." I looked sincerely into his dark chocolate coloured eyes, "I trust you Slightly. Take them on an adventure. As my oldest and most faithful Lost Boy, I trust you." I put emphasis on the last three words; as if my emphasis could physically drive the words into his heart, show him how much he meant to me._

 _Tink showered him in pixie dust, the glittering particles landing on his nose and dissolving into his skin like snow and I turned him boldly round to face the others._

" _I am proud to accept this Peter." Slightly spoke after a second, staring all the while at the dagger in his hands, his lips turning up into a wide smile. "Now my men! Prepare a feast for this magnificent news! I am going to talk," And he beamed up at me, "with our Captain Pan."_

" _I'd be honoured to talk to you, Captain Slight." I replied, gazing down at him._

 _His eyes lit up and with a, "Race you to the top!" he flew off into the sky through the magical top of Home Tree; I followed, overtaking him by a sliver._

 _We fell onto the ground, laughing for some reason at our race. I clapped him on the back, "Slightly! I love you!" The words fell so easily out my mouth; it was as if they'd been waiting on the tip of my tongue for years and years._

" _As do I." He replied._

" _What? Love yourself?" I joked._

" _Pfft! Well obviously!" He joked back, winking at me._

 _I laughed, "You're more like me than you think Cap."_

 _He shook his head, "Don't call me that yet- I haven't earnt it."_

" _I think you have…" I responded softly._

 _We stared up at the stars as they danced in the sky, flirting with each other as they winked and flashed._

" _II ship those two," Slightly said, pointing upwards, "They won't stop flashing at each other, and I swear they're getting closer to each other each night."_

 _I paused before looking across at him, "You spend an awful lot of time observing others' relationships Slightly." I said thinking of his watching Wendy's flying dress as it made its way towards the beach._

" _Huh?"_

" _I heard you and Wendy talking a few nights ago…I erm… went for a walk…"_

" _You mean went to check Hook was safely locked in his ship?"_

 _I flinched, "How-?"_

" _I know you well enough by now Peter, even if you have grown up- we've been living with each other for fifty years." He smirked knowingly, "I knew you wouldn't be able to relax without going to his ship even once, just to get a closer look at him at least."_

 _I breathed a laugh, "That's true… Look, I just wanted to say about Lumpy, it wasn't you fau-"_

" _I know." He sighed, "I just can't help but think about the 'if's and 'might's. What if I'd gone forward and-"_

" _Slightly stop." I shifted myself so I was sat in front of him, "You and Tickle did nothing wrong whatsoever. It was me. And my stupid 'fun ideals.'"_

 _He shook his head vigorously, "They're not 'stupid ideals' Peter, that intense fun and happiness was the thing that saved me. And you know it Peter- you saved me."_

 _I gulped thinking back to when I had first found Slightly, a beaten young boy, skinny and dishevelled, curled up in the basement of a Vicar's home situated at the back of a church in the middle of a gothic graveyard. The Vicar believed in the old tale that children are born with evil in their hearts and must grow out of it. So he purged the children there, tortured them more like, using the excuse that he was doing God's duty, tricking the other villagers into believing him. He'd collect them from the orphanages and then sell them on as servants, when they were 'good' once more. Slightly was the worst one, bleeding profusely, and barely keeping his eyes open; completely devoid of hope for life._

" _You gave me hope, and now I have a second chance at life, just back in London waiting for when I'm ready for it."_

 _I bit my lip, I'd never thought about how much I'd helped him before, how much I'd helped all the boys before…I smiled at him, "Thank you Slightly… for believing in me too. Even after Lumpy, even when Tickle left."_

" _I will always believe in you Peter Pan." And he grasped my hand tightly in my own. "Don't come back all the time Peter, after these two months are over; it's not fair on Wendy. Trust me to deal with Hook. Have faith in me to keep them all safe. Let me do this. Be free, grow up, marry Wendy- live Peter. You've been waiting long enough."_

" _So have you!"_

 _He smiled and shook his head softly, "I'm not ready… but you are. Please Peter- if I need you I'll find you. I know you're behind me, brother." And for the first time since that basement, since I blew fairy dust across his face and taught him to fly, I watched as tears filled his eyes. In the light they looked as if they were sparkling, they looked like fairy dust._

 _Tears unwillingly began to fill my own, "What are we like Slightly?" I laughed as our tears fell, mixing together and creating a puddle on the leaf shielded floor._

" _We're a mess," He agreed, yanking me down into a hug, "I'll miss you, so much. But we'll see each other again, and these last months are going to be the best months ever. We'll saviour every moment, not thinking once about the time slipping away from us."_

" _I'll come back for holiday," I laughed._

" _I'll look forward to it… Captain Pan."_


	15. Chapter 15- The Last Win

Chapter 15- The Last Night

I stared up once more at the stars of Neverland, the pair Slightly had picked out a few months ago had grown so close they were almost touching; a tiny, twinkling star had appeared underneath.

"I told you they were getting cosy," Slightly whispered to me as he went to pass a cup to the Medicine Man.

I breathed a laugh, "Slightly the wise relationship man."

"Boy," He corrected with a nudge.

My lips flickered up in a smile.

It was the last night. My heart was racing with excitement; the past few months had been the best but I was ready to go on, to grow up and live. I glanced across at Wendy; she was laughing with Tiger Lily and a group of other Indian girls who were braiding her hair down her back while she held the baby of the camp. She was tickling the child's tummy while he giggled and gurgled up at her, reaching out his tiny chubby hands to grasp her face. She glanced back at me, her eyes shining with happiness, only exemplified by the reflecting light from the fire, and beamed.

"You really love her." The chief noted, sitting down next to me crossed legged.

"Yeah…" I laughed, thinking of her warm smile, her soft voice, playful attitude and utter devotion and passion for her writing, "She's brilliant!"

"I am glad; you are growing up at last." He placed a warm hand on my shoulder, "Flying Eagle, we owe much to you and I shall miss you."

I gave a sad smile, "And I'll miss you too, Great Chief. You've made Neverland more of an adventure than we could ever have hoped for. Thank you."

He gave me a wholehearted smile, "Now… I'm going to get some food before my people eat all of my favourite fish!"

I chuckled and watched him go, an odd feeling of sadness mixed with contentedness rich in my chest.

Tinkerbell, meanwhile, had made herself comfortable on my knee with her little fairy boyfriend, Terrence. He was a cute fairy with a mop of dirty blonde hair, not as light as Tink's, and bright blue eyes; the same shade as Tink's herself. He wore the dark and light brown clothing of a dust keeper and held her hand gently, their tiny fingers intertwined like threads in a bracelet.

I could see the nerves twitching in his eyes and smirked.

When she flew off to weave beads and rainbow threads in Wendy's and a few young Indian girls' braided hair with Tiger Lily I bent down and whispered in his ear, "She REALLY fancies you, you know."

He jumped and turned, his eyes hopeful and questioning.

"She told me so, she keeps trying to come up with excuses to see you," I picked up a slice of toast from the pile near the fire and bit into it with an audible crunch. I winked, and through a mouthful said, "Go for it kiddo. You only live once."

He beamed and put his thumbs up in thanks before racing off to help her, a bit too enthusiastic perhaps.

I flicked my hair form my face and smirked at Slightly, "Who's the 'Wise Relationship man now'?"

"Mate, you could _never_ beat me in relationship issues, I'm far your superior in that field." He raised his eyebrows smugly.

I gasped and placed a hand to my heart, "How dare you!"

"Seems I'm stealing the famous 'Peter Pan cockiness' at last, what you gonna do about it?" H jeered.

" _Mate_ ," I bit back, "You could _never_ be as superior at being a self-confident cocky-"

But before I could finish my sentence Tootles ran up from playing with the Indian children, and snuggled (well barrelled more like, before he snuggled) into my side, "We'll miss you Peter."

For a moment I was startled by his sudden hug, but then I pulled him onto my lap, "And I'll miss you," and brushed his black hair from his eyes fondly, "My little pirate!"

Slightly sauntered off whistling and I pouted at his receding back, before allowing myself a small smile; he _was_ going to be a good Lost Boy leader.

Tootles grinned at my previous words but then his face dropped, "Will Hook come off his ship when you're gone? He's probably too scared to come aboard with you here but when you leave-"

"You mean 'onshore'," I amended kindly. "And no; he's just hiding, maybe he ran into other enemies on the great seas and came here looking for salvation, but we're all still here and he's too scared of us to come ashore!" I smirked, "Poor old Captain Hook!"

"Yeah, he's scared of us all! Of all the fairies and Indians and Lost Boys!"

I stared at his young face, only six years old. I'd picked him up off a dusty road near Kensington gardens. He'd wandered in lost after his parents had shoved him onto the streets when they'd divorced, none of them wanting the responsibility. He'd been on the streets for four days, half starved, mud moulded into his fingernails, his eyes sunken and lifeless…

 _I flew towards the creature stumbling along the pathway, my breath held. Who, no,_ _ **what**_ _was it?_

 _It was only when the creature crawled into the lamplight and looked up at me when I realised it was a child, a tiny boy, so fragile he already looked half dead._

" _Angel…?" He cried out, "Are you an angel?"_

 _I skipped back, startled by the sound of his delicate voice, so young, so pure. "No… I'm Peter! Peter Pan!" I placed my hand on my hips, landed gently on the floor, and stared at him. "What are you?"_

 _He said a name, but all I could make out was, "Toot." The rest escaped into the air like pixie dust dissolving into the atmosphere._

" _Toot? Tootles!" I exclaimed loudly, "Do you want to fly Tootles?" I bent down and took his tiny hand in mine._

" _I can be an angel like you?!" His dark eyes lit up so brightly I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't an angel._

" _I can teach you- watch me!" I soared round the lamp post and, placing one hand on the top of the lamp, stood up upside-down, my legs waving in the air._

 _He laughed and clapped at me, "Circus, circus!"_

" _Not circus- Peter Pan!" I spiralled down and landed on the dusty pathway, "Come on: take my hand." He reached out and placed his elusive hands in my own; literally just skin and bones. I blew pixie dust gently in his face. He sneezed and I laughed, "Pixie dust!"_

" _I can fly now?!" His face broke out into huge beam._

" _Believe, believe hard in yourself, and think of a wonderful thought!"_

" _You!" He cried out._

I was shocked to find my eyes stinging with fresh tears at the memory; I blinked them back and scanned my eyes down at the child curled up in my lap, munching happily on an apple. My thoughts flickered momentarily to Lumpy- maybe I _was_ more of a saviour than a killer…

"What a codfish Hook is!" I poked his stomach and he giggled.

"Yeah! Hook is a codfish, a codfish, a codfish!" He raced off singing the song between mouthfuls of apple and soon the whole camp was belting it out at full volume.

There was no way Hook couldn't have heard.

A sliver of me worried he'd get angry and rise to the bait, but I let the worry sail away. I was free! I was going to grow up! I felt so alive, my lungs full with fresh air, as though I could do anything in the world- as though I was invincible!

I breathed in deeply and cried out, "Who wants to play capture the flag!?"

The boys leaped up with a cheer as did a group of braves. We raced off into the trees, the girls, oldies and fairies letting us go to play one last game with just us boys.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

My heart pulsated in my chest as our team crouched in the trees, waiting for the game to start. The Indians in the camp FINALLY set off the flare and the game began!

"Twins and Slightly stay here and guard the flag, Nibs, Tootles and Curly, come with me. We're catching a flag tonight!" We leapt out of the trees, our chosen hiding place, landing cat-like, and raced silently through the woods, our bare feet not making a whisper of a sound on the soft forest ground.

"Where do you think it'll be Peter?" Nibs asked hand on the hilt of his sword, as we paused for breath.

"Near a water source, they always are." I placed two fingers to my temple. "Curly and Tootles head towards the water fall; Nibs and I'll investigate Crocodile Creek."

We split up, dashing off in opposite directions.

Nibs and I leapt round trees, bounded over stumps and skidded to the ground to slide under fallen trees on our way to the Creek. But not once did we run out of breath- we had to find the flag before they found ours! It was essential we be fast and silent.

Then we heard the voice.

Just one.

A little way down stream.

"Shh," I whispered to Nibs, although he wasn't making a sound.

I motioned for him to go low and made our way slowly up to the creek, hiding behind a large mossy rock.

At first glance it looked completely desolate, not one Indian weapon poked out from behind a rock or in the water. But if you know where to look, it's much easier.

"There," I whispered.

"Yes!" Nibs whispered in return.

Just above the creek was a large mountain, a big sheet of rock that towered up, making up a side of one of the two Neverland Peaks. In this sheet of rock was a miniature cave, invisible to the naked eye, camouflaged by the rest of the rock. The only way it could be found was by following a dangerous thirty- cm- across path that ran from the top of the mountain down to the entrance of the cave; it, too, was spectacularly camouflaged against the sheet of rock.

But I knew where the cave was all too well- I'd hidden there during hide and seek games enough times to know its exact position- one third of the way up, bang in the centre.

The perfect hiding spot.

But easily flown up to.

Or easily flown down to.

The tiniest speck of light could be seen from the start of the path, just fifty yards from the cave at the top of the mountain. The light was doused the moment we saw it, clearly an amateur Indian leaving a sign for us to follow.

"The cave?"

"The cave." I agreed.

"Right then… we go round?"

"Yeah, then I'll drop down to the cave, while you distract the Indians at the start of the path- and we take the flag!"

We fist bumped and raced round the Creek, crossing it one hundred yards from the cave, hidden by the darkness of night and the lack of a bright moon; clearly the night light knew tonight both sides needed coverage from their enemies.

Not wanting to waste too much time I gave Nibs a piggy back and we soared quickly to the top of the cliff. He then sprinted off to be the distraction and I readied myself above the cave to strike.

My mouth went dry and adrenaline pumped through my veins, awakening my senses tenfold.

But there was not a sound.

Not the snap of a twig as an animal raced through the forest below. Not the splash of a fish flipping in the creek below. Not the rustle of a tree in the non-existent breeze.

I held my breath- not wanting to reveal myself to the Indians below by making a single sound in the already silent Neverland.

I was not losing on my last night!

Five minutes later there was a shout as Nibs dived on to the front path. A clash of sword and spear worked as my go signal.

I glanced down, bingo!

One of the guarding Indians came out from the cave at the sound of Nibs, and I dropped, landing on his bare back spectacularly.

"Wah!" He cried out and floundered, reaching for his spear, but I kicked it out of his hands and it went crashing into the creek below.

I watched transfixed as his eyes flashed a brilliant gold when he flipped his head up and saw me: excitement.

Then I was bucked off; I flipped and landed unsteadily on the narrow path.

He whipped out a pocket knife and lashed out, not giving me a single moment to recover, I blocked it with my small sword, my dagger now with Slightly, and we began to parry blows, back and forth, the blades ringing out in the silent night, flashing silver as the moon finally came out to watch the show.

He threw out his leg and I back flipped with an involuntary, 'whoops!' to avoid being tripped over, defending from his blow while upside-down mid somersault. He was good!

Adrenaline pulsed loudly through my veins; I was surprised the Indians couldn't hear it!

I landed, steadily this time (I was getting into this!), on two feet, and our metal weapons clashed together once more with such force I swear I saw sparks shoot out from the collision.

Clearly the Indians wanted the main prize; to beat Peter Pan on his final night in Neverland.

I smirked, was not going to happen!

But then another Indian shot out from the cave with his spear poised.

This one was larger than the other.

Which meant he wouldn't be as nimble on the cliff top.

He let the spear go and I leaped out the way, somersaulting once more, this time into the air above the creek, completely off the cliff itself. The spear, too, spiralled down into the waves below, hitting the water with a splat!

The larger Indian seized his pocket knife and I began to battle the two of them.

They both leaped from different directions and I was constantly spinning to avoid their blows, left, right, then left again, then up, then right, then down, then roll.

Finally I got some leverage and I kicked out at one with my foot. The larger one gasped as he lost his balance and with a shout crashed into the creek, resurfacing moments later with a splutter and an, "Awwh!" He quickly swam to the side, clearly intent on re-joining the battle.

But by then it would be too late.

I blocked the other Indian's blow, snatched the blade and flicked it over.

The Indian cried out and the blade clattered to the ground. I then kicked out and, with nowhere to go, and no way to defend my kick, he turned and dived into the creek below, not giving me the luxury and satisfaction to trip him off myself.

Swiftly I turned into the cave and there it was: the Indian flag:

A large pale brown square of thick fabric with a dark brown Buffalo sewn carefully into it, taking up most of the room, and a multitude of colourful patterns, zigzags, swirls, dots, flowers, stripes, vines, spanning the edges of the flag.

I gripped hold of the handle and, stepping out of the cave, hoisted it into the air just as Nibs skidded round the corner of the path. The moment his eyes fell on the flag he grinned at me and I motioned to a small flare that had been hooked onto the bottom of the flag.

He set it off with gusto and the game came to an end.

We'd won.

As usual.

Well okay the Indians had a few wins.

But we had most.

Naturally.

I clapped Nibs on the back as we lethargically made our way back to the camp with the Indians.

They'd cheered us regardless of their loss; no hard feelings, it was a good game, there would be more to come. At least for the others. For me I revelled in my last win, goading wayyy too much. But I didn't care.

"Oh the cleverness of me!" I called out, throwing my hands into the air.

"PETER PAN THE BOSS OF NEVERLAND!"

"YESS NIBS!"

We whooped and crowed loudly; Nibs face was bright with joy and once again I was hit by a wash of memories from our first encounter.

 _ **Great Ormond Street Hospital for children**_

 _I swooped down, always flying, always in the sky, towards the hospital. The hospital looked oddly familiar, but never once could I remember entering its doors. I did so then, well entered the upper window actually, the darkness of night shielding me from the prying eyes of evil doctors and nurses with their sharp, sinister and spiteful equipment._

 _The stench of illness and alcohol wash swarmed my nose uncomfortably the moment I hit the edge of the window._

 _I flinched and backed away; maybe I wouldn't investigate the hospital. I'd never gone in there before anyway. I shrugged, not really knowing why I'd gone in in the first place. I frowned, I couldn't even remember why I'd come out here, why wasn't I in Neverland? I mean I'd come here occasionally but that's only when I wanted something specifically…_

 _I was turning to go when I heard the voice, weak with sickness._

" _Hello? Who's there…?"_

 _I swivelled back round, my eyes fixated on the first bed, nearest to the window. The child coughed, then coughed again, then coughed a third time, a hacking cough that sounded so ruthless it was as if his lungs were going to be spewed up._

 _My eyes wide I creeped up to the bed._

 _Then I heard a door slam, "Nibs?! Oh Nibs is that you?" A nurse hurried into the ward, past all the other beds, lamp in hand._

 _With a start I dropped underneath the child's bed as she gave him medicine and a drink of water, soothing his coughing._

" _There was a boy…" He mumbled._

" _Now, now Charlie," She used his real name, "You're okay now."_

 _She left soon after, whispering something that I could barely catch to another nurse in the corridor about being 'delirious' and 'not long left' which the other nurse replied with the affirmative, going on to mention something odd about 'free up a bed.'_

 _I stood the moment the door shut, and stared down at the child. His face was white and his lips cracked, his hair was a greyish blonde, and his hands were clenching the sheets._

 _I squinted at his eyes; they were open and staring, a bright emerald that hadn't yet been dulled by the brutality of disease._

 _I sat on the side of his bed._

" _Nurse said no one can sit there in case they catch it," He croaked out._

" _Catch what?"_

" _Tuberculosis."_

" _What's that?"_

" _A disease."_

" _Oh."_

" _It stole my family."_

" _Sorry."_

" _Who're you?"_

" _Peter, Peter Pan." I grinned at him, "I'm from Neverland."_

" _Never heard of it."_

" _I can show you it if you want," I held out my hand._

" _I can't leave my bed." He closed his eyes then and relaxed into his bed sheets, and for a moment I felt so seized with fear that I jumped on top of him, shaking his whole bed, forcing his eyes open with the jolt._

" _You can if you believe!" I urged, sprinkling fairy dust on his face._

" _I'm already dead. The nurse said so- you heard her." He said it so matter of fact._

" _No, no you're not! Believe Nibs! Believe!"_

 _He shifted upwards from his bed, and as he did so he began to cough; it was as if he was so used to coughing when he sat up that he did it automatically._

" _Believe you can!" I whispered. He stared at me, "I believe in you."_

 _He stopped coughing abruptly. "Believe?"_

" _Yes, believe!"_

 _He closed his eyes tight, and began to rise off the creaky bed, when he opened his eyes again he gasped. "I- I'm flying! Am I dead?"_

" _No! You're only at the very beginning of your story!" I laughed and pulled him towards the window._

I smiled at the memory, and wrapped an arm round Nibs' shoulders, "That was fun!"

"Yeah!" He agreed, grinning at me. "When you come on holiday we'll beat the Indians again!" He cried out.

"Oy! I don't think so!" One brave shouted back.

"Oh yes we will!" And they dived on top of one another, tumbling in the long blades of grass in the plains below the Indian camp.

I and the others laughed at their antics as we climbed up the hill (my feet suspended just slightly off the ground).


	16. Chapter 16- We Can Fly!

Chapter 16- We Can Fly!

"Whooooooo!" Slightly yelled as we returned to the camp; they'd clearly all arrived before us. "You geniuses!" He jumped into our arms and whistled loudly, "TO THE CHAMPIONS OF CAPTURE THE FLAG!" And he raised his cup. "CHEERS!"

Everyone raised their cups and called out loudly.

I laughed, "Slightly what're you drinking?"

"The chief apparently said I could have a bit, apparently it's called alcohol," He winked, "A grownup drink, apparently. IT'S GLORIOUS! AND FIZZY!" He giggled. "They got it from the grapes!" He flung out a hand towards the growing crops at the back of the Island.

"Oooo! You think he'd give me one?" I began excitedly.

"Nope! Neither of you are getting any alcoholic drink! Slightly's tipsy already and all you've had is a few sips!" Wendy tutted and took the glass from him. "I can't believe the chief would trust you with this!" She whispered to herself.

Slightly moaned, "You're such a spoil sport mother! And for your informations," he slurred, "It's to congratulate me on being head of the LOST BOYS!"

Wendy sighed, thought for a moment, then smiled and handed it back, "Two sips for both of you, and be quick about it!"

Slightly glugged two huge sips. I, on the other hand, let the drink fill up my mouth and glugged it down in three. The beverage burned as it went down my throat and lit a fire in my stomach.

"Woah! I like that!" I blinked hard. Then, afraid Wendy would take the glass off me, I filled my mouth to almost overflowing, and glugged down another three lots, bending over to try and obscure the half of the cup that had overflowed and was running down my chin.

Slightly snorted at me.

I pouted back.

Slightly then grasped the cup as Wendy reached out, "Oy Slightly!" letting the last few drops fall into his mouth, he shuddered as the drink hit his stomach.

"The drink of gods!" He called out loudly, pushing the cup into Wendy's chest, before he stumbled across to the fire.

I sniggered at him, "I like what this drink does to people!"

Wendy shook her head at me, beaming nonetheless. "You immature children!" She sang.

But I nipped her waist with my hand before she could leave my side and pulled her to me, opening my mouth as I went. Our lips clashed together and I forced my tongue past her teeth, full on kissing her. She responded, shoving her fingers into my hair and wrapping her arms round my neck, losing herself in the kiss entirely. The camp suddenly came alive with wolf whistles and friendly jeering.

"PETER AND WENDYYYY SITTING IN A TREE," Slightly called out.

"EWWW PETER'S KISSING!"

"SOMEONE COVER TOOTLES' EYES!"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

I pulled back with a rebounding smack! Wendy stared at me, her mouth agape, "Well…" She flicked her air back and flounced off, with rosiness to her cheeks and a sparkle to her eyes, "I think that win is getting to your head a bit Peter!" She called out as she left, joining her hair and baby party once more.

I grinned cheesily and flopped down next to my boys.

"Apple?" Curly offered, apparently blind to what had just happened as he munched away on an apple.

I looked across at him: he was sat in a mansion of food, bread surrounding him in a perfect square, all of them with apples, pears, grapes, lemons, peaches, plums etcetera on each piece of individual bread. Lining the outside of this artwork were pieces of meat, duck, chicken, pork was that? All the foods were perfectly placed and I noted that the doors of the mansion were missing, the apples perhaps?

He looked at me, then glanced back at his food castle, "Well… it's free food."

"Agreed!" I took the apple and began eating, gobbling up the food like it was my last ever meal. Well it technically was, at least in Neverland for a while anyway.

"Do they have good food in England?" Curly asked once he'd finished his piece of fruit, now fiddling and fumbling with his pen knife and another knife- trying to sharpen it I figured.

"Hmm… their breakfasts are divine! Sausages, hash browns, bacon, baked beans, fried eggs, toast…" I took the knives off him and skilfully sliced the blades together, sharpening his pen knife with one flick of my wrist.

Curly sighed contentedly, taking it back from me, "I might join you just for the breakfast."

I laughed aloud, "You're always welcome to!"

"You're language has changed."

"Huh?" I frowned at him.

"You sound older; like you speak in an older way… it's like a different language…" He narrowed his eyes, "Weird."

I breathed a laugh, "It's still me Curly! Just… yeah older…"

I stared at his chubby cheeks, "You remember when we first met?" I licked the apple juice from my lips, the sour taste sizzling on my tongue dreamily.

"I was stealing bread…"

I grinned, "Yeah. You were…"

"Don't remember why," Curly shrugged. "I just remember flying!"

 _I raced down the street; London was alive with activity; no one was paying attention to the bright green boy flying above their heads with the little Fairy._

 _Horses neighed loudly, whips smacked against their backs cruelly, coins were flicked up down dark alleys, hitting the ground with a 'ping!' Women flounced around in poufy dresses, their overly bright colours harmful to the eye, gentlemen rushed down streets, black cases clutched in their grasps, others walked languidly down the streets, arm in arm with young, fresh women, their prattle about the weather and pointless gossip making me feel slightly sick, and schoolboys played chase, their caps flying off their heads in their haste and satchels bashing repetitively against their hips, while little girls pointed out of black carriage doors towards the latest china dolls in shop windows._

 _I turned away from them as the boiling summer sun burned down my back, making my sweat pores open uncomfortably. Tink landed on my shoulder for a breather. I sniggered, "Tired Tink?" She tinkled back that is was FAR too hot for her and that her dress was sticking to her back, and her hair was sweaty, and did we have to be here, and she was puffing up in the heat and looked fat and…_

 _I zoned out and looked back towards the street._

" _FRUIT ONLY TWO PENNIES! FRUIT ONLY TWO PENNIES!"_

" _Does your lady need any new dresses? We have the latest fashion in all of London!"_

" _READ THE LATEST NEWS! JACK THE RIPPER STRIKES AGAIN! MUTILATED WOMAN DOWN THE EAST END!"_

" _Oy watch where you're going laddie!"_

" _CIRCUS OPEN! LONDON'S TRAVELLING CIRCUS NEAR KENSENGTON GARDENS! DON'T MISS IT!"_

" _Queen Victoria celebrates her 80_ _th_ _birthday in black!"_

" _WHOA SLOW DOWN BILLY!"_

" _Lovely weather we're having isn't it?"_

" _Oh quite not! It's far too stifling hot Henry dear!"_

 _I shook my head and swooped onto the rooftop of an old warehouse, looking round at the streets, thankful that I didn't have to live in all that messy mess._

 _Then I heard the shout, "OY THEIF! THEIF! SOMEONE STOP HIM!"_

 _My head dropped down:_

 _A young boy with a round face was racing down the street, jostling the vain upper classes beside as he ran; two loafs of bread shoved comfortably under both his arms. Sweat dripped from his forehead and slid down his face in lots of mini streams. There was panic threaded into his eyes, but also a touch of excitement. I flew alongside him upon the rooftops, cheering him as he ran from the baker, and then the police, and then two police dogs, and an honourable gentleman, and oh crap there were a lot of people chasing him!_

 _Tink asked what he was doing and I shrugged._

 _The dog leaped upon him and I flinched as he batted it back with a loaf of the bread, pushing the food down the dogs throat. The angry beast choked and stumbled, becoming grounded quickly, but the other was hot on his heels. The boy made a face of absolute agony at losing a loaf, but ran on regardless._

 _The whole street was watching now, and people were rushing out to stop him from the front._

" _Just leave the bread!" Part of me said, otherwise he was gonna bloody die!_

 _Tink tinkled in agreement, wincing at his sweaty face, "Poor little boy!"_

 _But the boy was insistent on guarding that bread with his life, he kissed it as he ran, his eyes pleading for luck, for a saviour._

 _I moved without decision, swooping down through the humid London air and grasping the boy off the ground just as the dog leaped up to sink his teeth into the boy's little legs._

 _The boy screamed out and thrashed in my grasp, "IT'S JACK THE RIPPERRR SAVE MEEEE!"_

 _He punched out and I felt and heard my nose crack! "GAH!"_

 _I spun out of control, Tink shouting out encouragement from the side lines but doing nothing to help me for fear she'd get too hot, and we crashed into a pile of horse dump._

 _I shot upwards off the muck with a cry of disgust, but then I heard the crack of a whip._

 _The police had hold of both dogs, but another police man was stood there alongside the baker and a few other portly gentlemen (hardly_ _ **gentle**_ _in the slightest!). They were glaring at us with such loathing it was as if we'd killed someone! Apparently they didn't believe enough to have registered the fact I just FLEW. No, I was just written off as the side-kick._

 _The bread lay forgotten by everyone in the dung, except the boy who sniffled and looked at it longingly._

" _Take them!" The baker fumed; spit flinging out from his mouth._

 _So that's how we ended up in a cell._

 _I could've flown away. But where was the fun in that?_

" _We have to escape!" I said the moment the doors were locked on us._

 _The boy backed away, his eyes flickering to me, and then to the floor, and then the door, "You flew!" He accused._

" _Yes! You believe!" My eyes shone._

" _Huh? Believe what? I bet it's you who've been committing the murders!"_

" _What murders?"_

" _Jack the Ripper!" He exclaimed loudly. I vaguely remembered him mentioning something about this man before, and a horrible sharp pain shooting down my nose. But I'd forgotten all about it; look towards the future!_

" _Who?" I frowned, then brushed off his reply before he could even get his words out. "Doesn't matter- we need to get out!" My eyes quickly scoured the room, drab, dirty cream walls, a slit at the top of the back wall letting in a flitter of light that cast shadows on both our faces, and a thick concrete door with no window and no handle on our side. "What an adventure this is, if only the boys were with me!" I jumped up and down next to the door, "Is there no window on this thing?" I mumbled to myself._

" _Who?" The boy asked in relation to my previous comment._

" _The boys, erm there's Connie, Slightly, Nibs, Tootles and Birdy; they're my lost boys. I'm head- obviously. We go on adventures and fly and fight pirates and Indians!"_

" _Whoa!" Curly stood up sharply with beautiful gullibility. "But aren't the Indians bad? I mean have you heard the news from America?"_

" _Bad? They're brilliant! They can heel with the spirits and work magic and fight dashingly! Anyway, you got an escape plan?"_

" _Nah… I've been stuck in this cell before, there ain't no way out." He flopped on the tiny wooden bed._

" _Are you a criminal?" I asked curiously._

" _No… I'm an orphan- I escaped from the factories, after I was put in there when I was caught last time. I live off street scraps and stealing foods and stuffs. I was only hungry!" He excused._

" _Well… Neverland has all the food you want! As long as you imagine it you can have anything and everything!"_

" _Really?" He gasped. "As long as you promise me you're not a killer?" He frowned hard at me._

" _I promise!"_

" _Okay then! So how do we escape?" He leaped down off the batted wooden bed to join me, all the fear and panic in his eyes gone._

" _I dunno… do they ever open the doors?"_

" _Of course! For the trials that is…" He grimaced, "The baker's gonna want to hang us!"_

" _Do they hang children?"_

" _I've never seen it personally but I've heard of other people being hanged!" His face was struck with fear once more._

" _Don't worry! I won't let that happen!"_

" _Will you fly again?"_

" _Yeah! You can join me if you want?"_

" _You mean I can fly?!" He bit his finger nails in apprehension._

" _Yup!" I looked around for Tink, but she was nowhere to be found, "Ah… my Pixie's flown off. Must have been the horse dung…"_

" _YOU HAVE A PIXIE?!"_

" _Shhh!" I wafted my hands at him, "Yeah! But she's flown off." I sat down on the dusty ground with a huff, sighing at the floor's coolness- a happy relief from the blazing sun above. "When will the trial be?" The boy shrugged. "What's your name?"_

" _Carl Potter. But many like me who know me on the streets call my Curly cos of my hair see?" And he motioned to his curly auburn hair._

" _Curly! Nice to meet you!" I beamed at him._

" _Who're you?"_

" _Oh me- I'm Peter, Peter Pan! Hero of Neverland, fighter of pirates and conquer of EVERYTHING!"_

" _WHOA!" Curly clapped loudly._

" _Oy! Shut it thieves!" A man outside banged on the cell door._

" _You shut it!" I bit back._

 _Curly's eyes bugged in horror at my action._

" _You little prat!" The man growled, and he unlocked the door in fury, reaching out and grasping hold of my green collar. His eyes were small and far too close together, although his jet black mop of hair and smooth forehead told me he wasn't_ __ _old. But his face was sagged and tired, "What the hell are you wearing?" He started, dazed at my appearance._

" _Leaves…" I raised my eyebrows at his stupidity, "You'd think a guy would know a leaf when he saw one."_

 _A purple vein bulged in the guard's head and he thrust his fist into my neck, I gagged at the pressure, my eyes watering, "You little prat!" He repeated, "Oh just wait until you're kicking and screaming in the workhouses! That should teach you your place in good society!"_

" _I ain't no prat!" I spat back loudly, not really knowing what it meant, but figuring it was a pretty insult._

" _What's going on down there?" Another man's footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs speedily, his keys rattling loudly against his leg._

 _My eyes flickered upwards towards the sound and revealed the police man who'd captured us coming to rest on the bottom step, "Ah… I was just about to ask you to get those two- the baker gave a tip to the judge and their trail's been moved forward to now." He glanced at the guard, "Another workhouse case no doubt, wasting our time like this! It's ridiculous the amount of them…" He muttered the last part to himself. "And the owners always want their money back! Like what are we supposed to do about that? We lock up the thieves- isn't that good enough pay back?" Clearly the baker had pissed him off._

" _Indeed," The guard agreed, yanking me out, "I say…" He clipped on a pair of shackles menacingly, "That we let these two rot in the workhouses as satisfaction for our troubles!"_

" _Troubles?!" Curly picked up his voice at last, "It's your job!"_

 _He received a slap on the face for that comment and my stomach burned up. "Yeah- let us rot!? I'd like to see you try…" I snarled at him and the guard took a step back._

" _Prat!" He muttered to himself again, but much quieter this time._

 _Was that the only insult he could throw about? I dearly wanted to tease him about it, but then we were thrust up the staircase with the other police man._

 _Within seconds we were in the courtroom._

 _It was a vast, magnificent room, with a floor and walls made from scratched marble, a high ceiling with huge glass dome over the centre of it. In the blazing sunshine striking through the glass the room was painted in splashes of light, so the floor looked like a cream night sky covered in stars. Long, never-ending benches strung the side of the hall, mostly empty (clearly we were a common case) and on the back wall was a raised platform with a huge desk. The man sat there had ringlets of white hair that tumbled down his shoulders, a synthetic shiny-grey in colour._

" _Is that a wig?" I sniggered._

 _But I got a boxed ear for that comment._

 _His eyes were small and grey themselves, a dull lifeless grey; he looked bored out of his mind. The baker sat next to him, his chubby face boiling red with rage, (it was only two loaves! Jeez!) along with numerous witnesses; a few of the gentlemen, their tall hats sat uptight on the benches in front of them, a plump woman wearing an ugly pale pink and green dress, (the baker's wife?) the dogs (not that they could give a clear account of the story) and the dog police man, his body straight and upright, given the impression of attentiveness to the court, but his eyes wavering round the room sleepily._

 _They placed us on a caged in stage in the middle of the room; the centre of the spotlight that ran from the centre of the ceiling._

 _The judge cleared his throat, "So… Carl Potter and… an unnamed fugitive." He looked at me questioningly, then frowned, "What is your name unnamed fugitive?" He paused, wondering whether his next question would be quite appropriate, but he asked it anyway, "and what are you wearing?"_

 _Why was everyone asking that question? "Peter Pan, king of Neverland! And leaves, why do you people not know what a leaf looks like? It's very confusing," I licked my lips all matter of fact. But it was at that moment when I saw a flash of light, no… not just any light- Tinkerbell!_

 _There was silence, "Sir, would be nice Peter…" The judge glared at me. "Now according to Mr-"_

" _Why?" I butted in, as Tink whipped round to my back, key in hand already! and began undoing the shackles. Not that I needed them undoing- I could fly and escape regardless- having my hands free would just help a_ _ **tinsy**_ _bit more._

 _Curly flinched next to me._

" _Excuse me!" The judge flared up, "Do not address me in that direct manner- speak when spoken to you lower class fool!" He relaxed back in his chair again, fanning himself with the report paper. "Right, according to-"_

" _Why shouldn't I?" I asked again._

 _Curly snorted and stifled a giggle._

 _The courtroom fell into silence again._

" _YOU THIEVING BRAT! HOW DARE YOU-" The baker began, his cheeks so flushed he looked like the devil himself. But then the judge banged on the table for silence._

" _According to Mr Bashly the baker," He began, composed once more, "The two of you-"_

" _I mean we're all human, but clearly I'm far your superior…" I laughed aloud cheekily._

" _Really? Are you a prodigy in law?!" The judge, tired from the day, hot and bothered from the heat, rose to my bait easily, disregarding all usual show of restraint and respectability, as well as the focus of the trial itself._

 _That's when I felt the click of my shackles as they became undone. I kept my hands behind my back and didn't shake them free, waiting for Tink to undo Curly's first._

" _No…" I smiled sweetly up at him, "But I'm not a thief or a prat, I'm the boy who's never going to grow up! And the best part is?" I glanced down as Curly's shackles clicked undone, I shook my hands, and they both hit the floor with a rebounding clatter._

" _Aghh!"_

" _Sorcery!"_

" _A ghost!"_

" _They must have a sidekick!"_

" _The guards!"_

 _The men all shouted out at once._

 _Tink sprinkled Curly with fairy dust, the men up top too short-sighted to believe in her and see her._

" _We can fly!" I finished dramatically._

 _I took hold of Curly's hand and we began to rise off the floor. The men cried and all stood up in complete unison._

" _Not the guards! Not ghosts! Not sorcery! And certainly no sidekick!" I shouted out, (Tink was a fairy- she couldn't possibly count as a sidekick!) "Faith, trust and Pixie Dust!" I was filled with such a feeling of elevation that I couldn't help but shout out, "Upper class fools!" As Curly, Tink and I smashed through the glass roof, making it rain tiny particles of glass on our prison stage in the centre of the great room and sending the sunlight blazing even more forcibly (now there was no glass there at all) through the gap we'd created, making a real jagged spotlight on the prison stage, and flew off into the air towards Neverland…_

"Yeah…" I sighed down at Curly, "So do I."

He beamed at me, "Flying's even better than food!"

I laughed, remembering that look on his face when he stared at the bread all those years ago, "I never thought you'd say that Curly!"

"I never thought you'd grow up!" He cried back.

"I guess we were both wrong then- oh how things change!" I pulled him in for a bear hug, breaking an easy hole in his perfect food mansion.

"Gah! You're turning into Wendy with all the gooey hugs!" He scrambled away from me, causing his mansion to topple even more.

"I'm allowed too! I'm a grown-up now!" I must admit I felt a slight sting of rejection.

He huffed as he began to place back all the food in their correct places, (even making a pattern out of the fruit) but he was smiling nonetheless.


	17. Chapter 17- The 'Special Drink'

_Hey guys! I've got a bit of a shorter chappie today, just to tie it onto the next 'arc' of the story. I didn't mean to make the final night so long but hey ho, the more the better!;) I've written every backstory but the Twins', do not fear I've not forgotten about them but their back story will come slightly later on in the story. I think it just gets a bit dull when it's back story after back story, and Curly's was VERY long lol; I got a bit carried away with itXD_

 _Anyways hope you enjoy this next chapter!XD_

Chapter 17- The 'Special Drink'

Just at that moment the chief called for silence. He stood up, his animal cloak billowing out behind him. "Congratulations Lost Boys on winning that round of 'Capture the Flag'. But I'm afraid your victory streak shall not last long," He motioned to his warriors and we cried out our objections to his declaration jokingly.

"OH NOOOOO!"

"WE'LL SMASH YOU!"

"WE'LL HIT A 'ONE HUNDRED STREAK'!"

He held up his hand lazily and silence fell again. "A toast, a thanks, to Peter Pan, Great Flying Eagle, and his Wendy Darling!" He motioned for me to join him and I jumped up to the fire.

He took hold of my face seriously and pressed his forehead to mine, I did the same, closing my eyes as I did so.

"Live strong, Peter Pan." He whispered hard.

"Always," I replied, opening my eyes as he did. We stared at each other and I gazed into his hazel eyes, realising for the first time just how much like a lions eyes they looked, gold and emerald flakes among a nut brown backdrop; the true king of the forest. "Watch out for Hook." I whispered suddenly; he was always lurking in the back of my mind, waiting to strike.

"Same to you. And have no fear- we'll protect your boys."

"Thank you."

Then we pulled back and he picked up his cup, raising it high. I grinned cheesily as everyone toasted to me, my eyes scouting for Wendy, but I couldn't see her.

He handed me the cup. "A special drink we like to call wine, from the grapes."

I glanced around once more for Wendy, hardly struggling to imagine her disapproving face at my being given the 'special drink'. But I couldn't see her; she must be among Tiger Lily and the other girls in the corner, I told myself when I failed to spot the Indian princess too.

"DOWN IT PETE!" Slightly's voice rang out deafeningly, snapping me back to attention.

"ONLY IF YOU DO IT WITH ME!" I yelled back, the alcohol from earlier finally hitting my veins, coupled with the exhilaration and adrenaline from Capture the Flag and the leaving party itself.

Slightly raced up at the speed of light and grasped a cup from a warrior.

We linked arms and held the cups to our lips.

"Scared Slightly?" I mocked.

"You wish!" He bit back with an arrogant flick of his blonde waves.

"THREE, TWO," Curly screamed out, and everyone joined in on the, "ONE!"

I flipped the cup back as did Slightly, our bare arms clashing against each other, and glugged it down in one, closing my eyes as I did so, my head screaming _don't stop! Don't stop! Gotta beat the hell out of him!_ The drink boiled as it ran down my throat warming my stomach and making my head feel oddly light.

The last dregs hit my lips, the last splash of fizzy coldness, at the exact moment Slightly took his last swig. We slammed the cups down on the ground at exactly the same time and stared at each other competitively.

"WHO WON?" We both blurted out, staring hard at the chief.

"Erm…" He blinked hard.

"That was fassst," One Twin whispered.

"Very fast!" The other joined in.

Slightly and I laughed, and fist bumped, before enveloping each other in a hug. "Draw!"

I glanced once more around for Wendy, but couldn't see her almond hair anywhere.

At first I didn't think anything of it, but after glancing round the camp at least three times, and having not seen her in ages, my heart began to stiffen and panic swam in slow tantalizing circles round my stomach, where was she?!

"Peter?" Slightly's face lost its giddy, alcohol tainted look and he gazed at me in concern, always the first to realise when something was up.

But I didn't have to worry for long.

Suddenly she burst out of the Medicine Man's tipi, Tiger Lily at her heels, her eyes wide with excitement, "PETER!" She burst out.

"Wendy? Are you okay?" Silence settled on the camp and I rushed across to her, my heart racing- what on Neverland had happened?- but before I could reach her she blurted out the words:

"I'm pregnant!"

I froze mid run, "WHAT?!"

"Two months," She burst into laughter, "The beach Peter!"

I still stared at her, at her wild vibrant eyes, hair that was racing across her face in the breeze, slender figure, delicate hands, young, beautiful face; high cheekbones, rosy lips, flushed cheeks.

"We're having a baby!" She reemphasised, halting two metres in front of me.

I leaned against Slightly, dazed, too shocked to even stand.

"A- a baby?" I managed to splutter out. The camp was still silent. "Like crying, screaming, real life baby? Are you sure?" My eyes flickered to Tiger Lily who nodded quickly, her face bright with amusement.

Wendy dashed into my arms then, her weight hitting me in one fail swoop, "Yes Peter! An actual, real life baby!" She drew back looked at my face expectantly.

I looked at the boys.

They stared back.

Mouths hanging open.

Shocked to the core.

Kinda like me.

"WELL DRINKS ALL AROUND!" Slightly spoke up after a minute of dead silence.

I burst into laughter and swung Wendy into my arms, kissing her softly, "A baby?"

"Yes Peter, our baby. Our baby," I don't think I'd ever seen her smile so widely before, never seen her eyes so alive with pure happiness, like they really were two shining stars; it was indescribable.

I laughed again, "Oh gods! Now I am a grown-up!" I kissed her once more, just a peck.

"Yes! We both are, and we're going home!" I wrapped my arms tight around her and held on as if I was afraid she'd be snatched from my grasp. It seemed too good, too incredible to be true. Things like this weren't supposed to happen to Peter Pan. The boy who'd never grow up, having a baby at fifteen years of age! Well technically like sixty five years of age… neither of which were very normal…

"Home…" I whispered into her hair, revelling in its softness as it brushed against my cheek.

"Yes!" She laughed again and stared up at the sky, "I can't believe it! I'm having a baby! An actual baby!" She was almost squealing the words her delight was so deep.

I laughed and kissed her again, lingering on her suave lips, then I kissed her again as her eyes danced and her body quivered with shock and excitement: I couldn't keep my face off hers I was too thrilled! I was too overcome by ebullience, from, not only the news, but her inexpressible happiness.

"I love you; I love you so, so much; I can't even put it into words…" I mumbled into her. "Oh gods," Realisation dawned on me, "What'll we call him?"

"Him?!" Wendy, pulling back, and Tiger Lily both pouted at him.

"What? Oh come on it has to be a boy!" I said; Slightly and the boys nodded vigorously.

"Yeah- girls are boring!" Curly cried out, earning a significantly large slap from a young Indian girl. "Oww! It was a joke! But it's true…"

Slap!

All the boys winced for him while the girls stared at us smugly.

"I think it's a girl," Wendy glanced down at her stomach fondly, placing a hand on her flat stomach.

"Small baby," Nibs commented.

"It's not grown yet!" Wendy defended the child.

"Well I _know_ it's a boy!" I leant down and placed a hand on her stomach, "Hey baby!"

"Who's he talking to?" The Twins chorused.

"The baby you idiots!"

"I don't feel anything…" I pouted and Wendy laughed, looking down at me fondly.

"You won't! She's very small…"

"He."

"She!"

"He!"

"She!"

"He!"

"Oh shut up! Old married couple!" Slightly blurted out suddenly. Tinkerbell, who'd just arrived looking rather flustered with a blushing Terrence, nodded vigorously in agreement, clearly having missed the baby news.

The camp went silent, before everybody laughed.

"Congratulations!" The chief took hold of both our hands, "I am happy for the two of you, but now dawn is coming, and you must be away before the pirates see you leaving."

"Already!" Curly cried.

"But I swear the night had only just begun!" Tootles joined in.

"Time flies by when you're having fun," Wendy bobbed down to them both, "Now we must say goodbye."

"No," I said suddenly, "Because saying goodbye means going away, and going away…"

"Means forgetting," Wendy finished, she took hold of my hand and we gazed into each others eyes for a moment. My heart pounded and perspiration began to multiply on my forehead: this was it. I was leaving Neverland. I'd be back of course, but this time I was leaving with no intention of coming back to stay.

It terrified me just as much as it excited me.

Wendy turned back to the boys, "See you soon boys!"

They beamed at her, "Yes mother!

"We love you mother!"

"Even if you do give dreadfully sloppy hugs!"

"See you soon!"

I took hold of her hand and the chief led us all up to the end of the cliff next to the camp, and passed me my already packed bag and Wendy's overly bulging case ("You can't make Wendy carry it Peter!" Nibs had exclaimed, "She's with child now! Ooo is it even acceptable to let her fly?! Maybe we should keep them here… just to be saf-" But then Slightly had whopped him over the head with a chicken leg.)

The boys stood in a line before me; at attention without needing to be asked, height order.

I glanced at them all one by one.

Nibs' beaming smile.

Slightly's proud face.

Curly's raspberry coloured cheeks.

The Twins' excited eyes.

Tootles' tear stained skin.

Such an array of boys. Who knew they could all be so different? Yet so similar at the same time…I reached out my arms and they all dived into them with such a force I toppled backwards, the bags flinging out my grasp and flipping in the air.

Everyone laughed and I wrapped my arms round them all, "I'm gonna miss you all! My brave, strong boys!"

"We'll miss you more!" They chorused back.

"I'll miss you most!"

"Mostest!"

"That's not a word," Wendy chipped in, "Besides 'most' is a superlative, you can't beat it."

Everyone stared at her blankly.

She coughed and cleared her throat.

"Your baby's gonna have a smart mama Peter!" Slightly commented.

They nodded solemnly.

"At attention!" I cried out and they fumbled up into their line once more, still bumping into each other and arguing even though they'd done it more times than I could care to count. (Clearly that line earlier had taken longer than I thought before I'd turned round to see them.)

"Slightly; you are in charge, lead them bravely through adventure after adventure." I said earnestly, "And, I have to say it, watch out for Hook. But I trust you all to deal with him… should he ever come off that ship of his."

"Maybe it's his twin!" The twins shouted out suddenly, realisation dawned on all the boys' faces.

"Of course!"

"Ye sit must be!"

"Hook would never hide like that!"

"Exactly! He's far too proud!"

"No… I know Hook when I see him," I said darkly, and Wendy stiffened next to me. "I'll be visiting at Christmas so don't forget me too soon!" I finished with a playful warning, eager to switch the dark mood.

A few sniffles sounded.

Never mind; I'd tried.

Then Tinkerbell flew into my hands, her body was warm and her wings tickled my skin, "I'll miss you Peter; whenever you need me I'm here." She tinkled, looking up at me sincerely.

"Thanks Tink," I leant down and touched the edge of my nose to her outstretched hand.

"Come with the baby when it laughs to see its own fairy being born, won't you?" Her hair bobbed up and down as she talked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world!" I whispered back, ruffling her hair VERY lightly, before nodding to Terrence, "Go and enjoy yourself. I'm glad you've found someone before I left, that way I won't worry about you being lonely."

"The best of friend's always do find lovers at the same time… on old tale but quite sweet don't you think?"

I merely smiled gently back down at her before holding out my hand for her to fly off and join her fairy man.

I watched her go for a moment, watched the way her wings glinted in the firelight, a ball of emerald light going towards a nut brown glow on the peak of a totem pole. She'd met me in Neverland about twenty years ago actually… we'd met when I cut off Hook's hand and fed it to the crocodile, but most assumed we'd known each other much longer… like since I'd been here; I wasn't really sure why… maybe it was our closeness… and I felt a sudden pang of pain at what I was leaving behind. I hated goodbyes, saying goodbye always made it seem like you'd never see them again. But that was not true. Of course I would see them again.

"Good luck with the babyyyy!" Slightly sang almost teasingly, snapping me back to attention. "I've heard women get terribly grumpy when they have children." He tutted and shook his head, "Poor old Peter Pan."

I frowned, "Shush up Slightly! Can you imagine Wendy as a grumpy woman?" I motioned to her delicate features and infectious smile.

They all paused, "Yeah…"

"Aaaaha, like when the wasp wouldn't leave the hideout and she started shouting insults at it for interrupting dinner."

"And when she got annoyed at you for letting Nibs fall into the fire."

" _Nearly_ fall into the fire," Slightly corrected.

"And when she got annoyed at me for playing catch with the squirrel."

"You played catch with a squirrel?" A brave asked suddenly.

"Yeah, why?"

"How does that even work?"

"With great difficulty," I butted in, aware that the sun would soon be rising, and also extremely excited to go back to London and begin the next great adventure, and also eager to get the so called 'goodbyes' over with. "Well," I turned to Wendy, "You ready?"

"I'm always ready," She replied with a smile, before once again whispering to herself, "An actual baby!"

I nodded at them all, hoisted the bag and case onto my back, and went to sprinkle fairy dust over Wendy.

But nothing prepared me for what was next to face.

Wendy screamed.

"What?!" My heart froze in terror and I stared at her.

Her face had turned white as a sheet and her fists were clenched hard together.

"WHAT'LL MOTHER SAY?!"

 _Oh dearrr… You have a baby and you're not married yet Wendy! Not a very good situation to be in in 1906 lolXD Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know your thoughts on the plot twist in the review box below! Did anyone see it coming?:)))_

 _Acia xxx_


	18. Chapter 18- The Beginning

Chapter 18- The Beginning

I wish I could've paused time when Wendy told her parents.

They were all sat down in the living room; it was 8 am on a Sunday morning, the post had just come and the Darling life had been running smoothly; George was reading the Sunday Times, Mary was knitting in the corner, Nana was snoozing, an older dog now, in the corner of the room, her eye lids half drowsily open, John was studying on the desk at the side of the room, at least five textbooks open writing down numerous notes and calculations, Michael was playing with toy soldiers on the carpeted floor, and the summer sunshine and light breeze were flittering through the open windows.

All was quiet.

All was calm.

They'd greeted us with open arms and great enthusiasm, we dumped the bags upstairs and joined them in the living room; I was to take the spare room as my own.

And that was how the conversation started.

Wendy had been fretting the whole journey about how to break it to them, 'umming' and 'arring' about how to put it, how she should break it gently, how she should compose her parents afterwards given the fact she was sixteen, unmarried and with child in an unforgiving society, and finally what exact words of apology I should say, especially as I'd realised on the way over that I'd promised her father some certain things… but the opportunity presented itself just right.

"So Peter, Mary and I were thinking you could take our guest room until you find your own house. Don't have it too far though," He chuckled to himself, "I don't think Wendy would appreciate it if you were _that_ far away!"

"Oh well actually father, Peter and I were thinking," She glanced at me nervously and I knew then that the time to break the surprise was coming, "That we could get our own house."

"Your own!" George cried out, flushing pink.

"Wendy dear, you and Peter are young, and not exactly… courting." Mary smiled kindly, "I know you two have a special bond but I don't really think your father's ready for you to be married or anything, and you know it's not proper to get a house without marriage first- what would the public think?"

Wendy's face lost its rosiness and I took her hand and squeezed it tight.

"Erm… well mother… I think we're at the perfect age to… court and even marry maybe…"

"You were saying only two years ago that you thought yourself too young!" George laughed heartily. "Come now Wendy, let's stop this silly talk."

"Excuse me sir, but I don't think it's silly… Wendy and I are serious," I began, "And erm… Wendy has something to tell you. I would tell you, but I think it's better if she tells you herself," I looked at her pointedly, as did George and Mary.

"Oh… ahaha…well mother… father," She gulped and started to twiddle with her fingers, "I'm having a… er…," She flicked her hair behind her shoulders, "Baby." She finished, then she grasped George's coffee off the table and glugged it down, as an excuse to not reply no doubt.

I had to force myself not to laugh at their faces. Mary's eyes widened, then took a shine of pity and then of composure and happiness and she reached out a hand to Wendy, "Oh sweetheart…"

George's eyes, on the other hand, bulged with horror, he looked to me and I glanced down at the floor, having no excuse for myself, and then he turned to Wendy, and then he scratched his head.

"A baby!" Michael shot up from playing and began to dive over to us, his arms wide for a hug "YAY!"

"Really?!" John turned from his books, "You mean I'm going to be an uncle!" He was beaming from ear to ear, "Congratulations We-"

"John!" Mary interrupted. "Please take Michael and leave us for a moment sweetheart. I think your father's feeling a little faint."

John paused, his face questioning. But with one glance at his father's face and posture he grasped Michael's hand, before Michael could even get to us for a hug, and they left the room hurriedly.

"I can only apologise," I spoke up the moment the living room door was shut, "I'm so sorry I was immature and didn't think of the consequences."

Wendy turned to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, "We both didn't. It's our combined fault and-"

"WELL THEN!" George burst out suddenly, "THIS CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION! I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDPA!"

Mary, Wendy and I all froze in shock.

"Dash the public view! You can marry while Wendy's pregnant! It can be a small wedding due to the short notice, or a large, I suppose we could manage a larger wedding… but after all I guess sixteen isn't that young an age! And Wendy's an author now… and Peter can get a job I'm sure with his hard work… in the meantime I have plenty of savings (well… a few) to loan to you my dears!" And he grasped us both and pulled us in for a bear hug, his chin stubble scratching on my face uncomfortably and his flood of words finally coming to a halt, giving me a moment to wonder why all this 'marriage' talk had come up so fast- I was only fifteen! But then again… a baby.. . It hit me then, the fact I was going to be a daddy, I would be responsible, I'd be responsible for a _life_ and responsible for Wendy, completely _._ "Golly! A baby!" He blurted out and I could only close my eyes in agreement as he squeezed us both so hard I fought for air, gasping loudly in the hope he'd realise and loosen his hold on us.

He didn't.

"Oh father!" Wendy cried out, kissing him on the cheek.

Mary laughed then and took hold of my hands, pulling me from her husband's suffocating hold and into her own, exceedingly gentler, hold, her soft her- like Wendy's- tickling against my face.

"I'm so sorry I-"

"Oh Peter dear don't be sorry! It's only the public view we were concerned about but after all you two are having a child! The gift of God!" She smiled sincerely at me and her eyes twinkled and shimmered, "And she has you, a special, hardworking, handsome man; I'm as happy as happy can be!"

I blushed at her compliments, "Thank you… mother."

She beamed at my words and then went to hug Wendy.

I was left with George.

"Well…" He cleared his throat.

"I owe you an apology for not keeping my promise-"

"Nope! Rules… well… let's just say they were made to be broken…" He winked, well he sort of did; I figured he couldn't wink very well as he just blinked very hard and one eyelid fluttered slightly.

I breathed a laugh, "Indeed I believe they are!"

He clapped me on the back, "Right… Shall we er… Mary has some clothes for you upstairs, she bought you two shirts and a pair of white trousers, as well as pine coloured coat just as the er… leafy attire isn't quite proper and your suit can't be worn every day less it gets ruined..." He motioned to my leaf suit.

"Oh… yes I suppose so. Thank you so much."

He waved off my thanks, "No, no, it was nothing. Truly. So… a baby eh?"

"Yes."

"You ready?"

"No."

He chortled at this, "You never are my good man! I still don't think I'd be ready for a child, even though it would be the fourth!" And he laughed once more at his comedic words.

I merely smiled, "Well- I hope I can be a good father, and a good husband." I added quickly, "Everything's just happened so fast. One minute Wendy was a friend, and next someone I loved, and now I'm having a child with her and we're all talking of marriage…like a child… I'm still a child! Well… I'm not but… I feel like I am sometimes," I mumbled the ending and picked at my finger nails.

"You are able to devote yourself to my daughter aren't you?" George looked at me sternly.

"Of course! I gave up Neverland for Wendy, gave up being young for her; I would do anything for Wendy!" I exclaimed earnestly, looking back up at him.

"Then," He smiled cheerily, "You should have no fear of marriage. After all it is merely making doing what you're already doing official."

I glanced across at Wendy and Mary, their faces were both shining and Mary had a hand to Wendy's stomach.

"I think it's a girl but Peter thinks it's a boy," She was telling her mother.

"I always said my first child would be a girl, George said a boy, but I was right! Girls always are on this front my dear," And they burst into giggles.

"Yes…" I responded, "That's very true."

Then there was a loud shout outside the door, "Can we come in yet?" Michael and John chorused.

"Yes my darlings!" Wendy cried out and they burst into the room, both making a beeline for Wendy.

"I can't believe it! I'm so excited!"

"Is it moving yet?"

"How far on are you?"

"Are you getting a new house?"

"Peter! Are you going to marry Wendy now?!"

"Whoa!" I held my hands up, "One at a time boys, one at a time!"

"Wait… if you two marry, then Peter will be our brother!"

"YAYYYY!" Michael bounced on me then and I burst into laughter as we toppled backwards onto the sofa.

"You little monkey!" I tickled his stomach like I'd done with Tootles so many times before, well- they were a similar age after all.

"TICKLE FIGHT!" He cried out.

"Aghhhahahaha!" He attacked, tickling my stomach; my very weak spot.

I fought back, getting him right in the back of the neck, "Aghhrr!" He growled like a pirate before bursting into giggles again, his neck flicking back and now trapping my hand between it and his back; the reflex of tickling the back of someone's neck apparently.

"Why don't you just propose now?!" John declared suddenly.

"Whoa John, slow down!" Mary intervened kindly, "Peter most likely wants the proposal to be special."

"Oh indeed, I want it to be very special," I winked at Wendy as if I knew exactly what I was going to do. In actual fact I had no clue; I only knew that I _did_ want it to be very special.

Wendy beamed back at me, "Of course."

"Right then…" Mary said, "I'm going to call Dr. Ackerman just so he can check you over… and then we can have a lovely Sunday dinner."

John and Michael cheered.

"Oh and Wendy, the Manager is coming over on Tuesday… he seems to like Tuesdays, very odd." George shrugged, "But he seemed so eager to see you on your return that we've said this Tuesday is okay, is that alright?"

"Yes," Wendy nodded vigorously, "I got quite a bit written of 'Part Two' while I was away in Neverland-"

George shook his head slightly at this, too befuddled still by the fine line between what he thought of as fantasy and reality. Then piped up suddenly, "I wouldn't mention you were in Neverland to anyone here though… keep it between us, say you were erm…"

"On an Island," I finished nicely.

"Yes!" He clapped his hands loudly, "On an Island for two months… we've just been saying you were away, and when people asked where we said then country." He chuckled. "Then we shifted the topic to something else before they could ask _where_ in the country."

"Anyhow, back to my book, how has it been selling?" Wendy asked nervously, and it hit me suddenly that we hadn't talked of it at all since we arrived.

"Oh Wendy!" Mary beamed, "They love it! The manager said you could probably get a little money from book signings too, your father opened an account and it's so full already. How many copies sold again George?"

"Just over five hundred was what it was on last Friday." He beamed at her.

"That's two hundred and fifty a month! Even some of the bestsellers only get around hundred a month!" She squealed excitedly.

I shook my head; I didn't understand numbers.

"Yes, a total of twenty five pounds and a good few pennies is in that savings account of yours Wendy! I told you it was a good idea to sell them for half a penny didn't I!?"

She cried out in sudden joy, "I guess for now we don't have to worry about you getting a main job Peter!"

"Personally I believe it'll be profitable if we raise the price to- oh, erm now let's not get into all of that. I think it would be good if Peter got a job, although the fact he has no school records may lessen his chances… what type of job were you thinking of Peter?" He turned to me, his hand stroking his chin thoughtfully.

The whole Darling family looked at me and I started.

"Nothing with an office in it…" I began awkwardly, "I just couldn't stand an office job. I need to be up and moving… something with… I don't know labour in it."

"Labour jobs are hardly respectable Peter…" George cleared his throat loudly.

"Now George if Peter wants a job like that we can't stop him, there are plenty of labouring jobs that pay well. It's not as if he's going to work in a factory now is it?"

"Oh no of course not! Something open!"

"A farmer… how cute would that be! I could sit in the cottage while-" Wendy began to babble on but George cut her off, apparently just as scared as I was that she'd go on for ten minutes non-stop.

"A farmer?" George frowned, "I guess the country air would do you good but…" He sighed loudly.

"I love the idea Wendy!" Mary beamed at her daughter.

"Er…" The idea of planting things and waiting half a year for them to grow didn't exactly fit my idea of a good job. I wasn't exactly patient…Oh gods, I'd have to learn to be patient with a child!

I sighed and throughout the rest of the catch-ups and talk over the rest of the day a corner of my head was infuriatingly occupied with thoughts of jobs… what job did I want? I couldn't be a doctor; I didn't have the right qualifications or the right smartness no matter how hard I tried, fifty-one years away from school settled that quite nicely. And that was the only job that had caught my eye… school teacher? I had no patience and again no smarts… builder? I'd probably mess it up… I had no skill with arts; I couldn't play any music but my panpipes…

Xxxxxxxx

Tuesday came quickly and Mary, Wendy and I were all sat in the living room once more. The spacious room with its comfortable pale pink walls, soft carpet and airy windows had become a favourite of mine even before I'd decided to settle here. Wendy was wearing her blue, flower print dress again and I had to force myself to push down the memories of when she'd last worn the dress, else I looked at her stupidly in front of Mary.

I whistled on my pan-pipes my favourite quick witted tune while they listened aptly, Wendy humming along to it, knowing it note for note I'd played it so many times in the hide-out.

 _Do-di-doooo! Dooo-di-di-diii!_

The high notes filled up the room in whistle-like music and my lips worked their way up and down the pipes with increasingly rapid speed as the song sped up. I finished with a flourish and they both clapped.

"Oh Peter dear do play another!" Mary begged.

"Mother, Tic- I mean the manager- will be here soon!"

"No! I can play another…" I began steady paced one in a much lower octave- another favourite of mine; the notes flowed on from each other like a twirled piece of string, going up and down the spectrum of sound, the notes held either for a few seconds or half a second but no longer. Mary sighed contentedly and wrapped an arm round Wendy on the sofa opposite me. The tune was finished nicely by the ringing of the doorbell and I placed them down, caressing the long thin tubes and stroking along the vines that held them together safely. The vines had been Slightly's idea when I kept trying to hold the tubes together. My lips tweaked up in a smile at the memory of his raised eyebrows and _seriously? You're trying to hold them together? Two hands and seven tubes? Ain't gonna happen mate!_ Look from across the secret hide-out as I failed, flopped and fumbled with them continuously, my face getting hotter and hotter with each ping! as one hit the floor. Again.

Mary jumped up, "I'll get the door dears…"

I took a deep breath and drew myself from the memory within my head, feeling ever so slightly nervous at the prospect of seeing Tickle once more.

Wendy smiled across at me, "You know… we haven't had much time to be alone lately… what with all the catching up on Sunday and mother dragging us out to help her with the shopping yesterday."

I breathed a laugh, "Yesterday sure was mad… London is far too busy for my liking."

"It is a bit isn't it? This neighbourhood is alright but much further in is much busier…" She trailed off. "I was going to ask mother if… we could share a bed?" The prospect was so sudden and off topic that I looked up in surprise.

But then I quickly smiled up at her, "Well… we are having a baby."

She held back a laugh, "I know! I just don't think mother and father have quite comprehended that yet…"

"I might just climb into your bed after lights are out if they say no," I winked.

She giggled, "Or I might get to you first…" She ran her tongue along the edge of her lip and I shifted onto her sofa, my fingers coming to rest just below her chin.

"I don't think that's possible…" I whispered into her ear.

"Oh I think it is…." She mumbled back.

"Shall we have a race?"

"You make everything into a game."

"Of course I do!"

"I love that about you."

I smiled to myself, "And I love that you love that about me."

She giggled once more then and placed a hand on the upper part of my thigh. I bit the edge of my lip, and we heard the front door shut and voices enter the hallway.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to get here?"

"Well about thirty seconds, he'll have to take his coat and hat-"

But she didn't get to say another word before I'd enclosed my lips around hers and was threading my hands through her hair, pressing my body hard against her own. The fruity smell of her soap wrapped it's thick, cosy arms around my nose and the sweet taste that was always in her mouth overwhelmed my sense of taste.

She laughed through my kiss and then commenced to kiss me hurriedly back, swinging her leg up over my thigh and pushing herself up and onto my lap, her teeth biting against my lips. I sighed into her; I'd missed this. I didn't care if I was being 'improper': I was making up for two days' worth of 'properness.'

The footsteps form the hallway stopped and we sprung backwards, I flinging myself onto the other sofa, as the door opened.

We smiled up and Wendy wiped the edge of her mouth consciously.

"Wendy, Peter! How lovely to see…." He trailed off, looking suspiciously at the two of us, "Really Mary, you leave two young people in the room alone with the door shut?"

Wendy blushed red, as did I.

"Oh…" Mary paused, then she laughed nervously, she had a similar laugh to Wendy's I'd noticed. In fact most of her outward traits were Wendy's… But Wendy's stubbornness was most definitely her father's.

"Ah I'm joking; an old man can share a joke with his close friends can't he?"

"Well… you're George's boss so-" Mary began hesitantly.

"No, no!" He flapped his hands, "I think we can safely say we're close friends." He winked at me and I relaxed.

They got straight down to business, Tickle very interested in the new book which Wendy very hastily proclaimed, "It's hardly finished yet!"

But to cut a long, rather dry conversation about money and bank numbers and interest rates and blah, blah, blah all of which I had no way of comprehending, I merely zoned out, Tickle- the manager- was fully on board to publish her next book and was astounded with the public reaction that Wendy had missed from the first.

"Yes, well the schools are all over them. Perhaps you'd consider a book reading for the little primary children?"

"Oh I'd love too!" Wendy beamed, I'd been watching throughout the whole conversation as her eyes get steadily brighter, her bum edge slowly off the sofa so she was now perched on the edge and her face brighten with colour.

I smiled dreamily at her; she was so ecstatic it made me want to twirl her round in circles and lift her into the air, it made me want to fly around in the clouds with her…and I decided that all I'd need in life was for Wendy to be happy, and that's all it would take to make me happy.

"Right then, I suppose that'll be all," He turned to me, "It was an honour to see you again Peter. If you don't mind me asking a personal question are you returning to your, erm, piece of the… _countryside_ , or are you and Wendy staying," he coughed loudly, "Or courting as I've heard… Hmmm…in London?" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Courting Sir," I said cheekily, "I'll be visiting _my countryside_ now and again, but I have every intention of _growing up_ here in London, with Wendy and our," I paused, but she nodded at me excitedly, "… child."

"Child huh?! Well I never would've believed it!" Congratulations!" He exclaimed, clapping me on the back so hard I almost toppled off the sofa.

"Ooof!"

"What a man you've grown to be Peter! And Wendy! And it didn't stop growing?" Tickle half gasped, looking rather shocked, and curiosity clouding his face.

I was aware subconsciously of Mary's own frowning face; our conversations were getting more and more obvious.

"No!" Wendy leaped up, "That's the strange thing… but the Indians concluded that if it was conceived in Never- on the Island, I mean the country side…erm- then it would grow normally! Quite strange if you ask me but then… it is strange itself isn't it? I mean… to have a child there…" She glanced down at her stomach once more, "She's still very small…" She mumbled to herself, "My stomach's so flat! But Dr Ackerman said it would creep up on me! Well… I and Peter have another seven months to prepare…" She licked her lips delightedly and beamed across at me, her eyes bright with excitement.

Tickle smiled, his eyes twinkling brightly as they always had done. "Quite strange indeed." He winked, "Well I'm very glad for you both. Good luck with the baby, do let me know how you're getting on Wendy dear. Oh and don't worry about the book too much or over exert yourself if-"

"Oh no! I should be alright to finish it. But with a hopeful wedding… it may slow down a few things…" She looked pointedly at me.

But I was concentrating on Tickle only, "You haven't changed…" I said softly.

"I told you I hadn't." He beamed joyfully, "Well then Mary, if you'd be so kind as to show me out I'll be getting on with other business." He straightened his jacket and checked the time on his pocket watch.

"I'm sorry… for not listening to you…then…." I began suddenly, my eyes travelling once more to stare at the floor, as they always did when I was scared or nervous: a stupidly annoying habit that I couldn't seem to control.

"We all learn from our mistakes Peter…" His voice turned suddenly soft and sad and he placed a hand under my chin, raising my head up to look at him, "It was all of our faults…" He sighed and looked out towards the window in a moment of respective silence; I copied him, thinking of Lumpy's small, innocent face and tiny frame- so young- until he spoke up again with a, "You've saved more lives than you've hurt, like mine for instance."

I allowed myself a small smile, "I suppose so…." I said modestly, my mind once more being thrown back to the boy in the workhouse being whipped for working too slow and getting distracted. A 'devilish little creature!' they had called him, that woman's spiteful, high pitched, cackling voice swarming my head in memory form.

"Speaking of, how is our young friend Slightly? And Nibs too wasn't it?"

"They're young…" I smiled at the ground, "And adventurous!"

"Ah, I always did enjoy those adventures. But this one has by far been the best." He nodded to himself.

"Slightly would love to see you!" I blurted out as he turned to leave once more, and he paused, his hand on the door knob.

"When are you travelling next Peter?" He spoke into the door.

"Christmas…"

"Yes… I'm going away at Christmas to an Island too. If you'd be so kind as to remind me how to fly…" He chuckled, turning back to me for a second, "Now I'll be off Mary dear."

"Erm… yes…." Mary began faintly, still having no idea that the manager was Tickle, an old lost boy, and seeming rather befuddled by the whole episode.

I breathed a laugh, why had we used code speak for part of that conversation? Everyone in the room had known who we were and we could easily have filled Mary in. I shook my head with a smile; silly grown-ups we all were, just having some fun. After all code speak is only for use in specialist adventures and they don't come around very often for grown-ups. So remember to always grab hold of them before they disappear!

They disappeared into the corridor, leaving the two of us gazing at a pale wooden door.

I turned to Wendy quickly. "What house are you thinking of getting? I'd hate it to be far into the city, but not too far out either. Somewhere like this neighbourhood! A bit in the middle- what do you say?" My words just tumbled out (I sounded like Wendy!).

She frowned at me, a small smile playing on her lips, "What do you mean?"

"Well… why bother waiting for… I dunno what we even are waiting for!" I exclaimed suddenly, my heart feather light, my head empty of all worries; I felt like a boy again, only excitement running through my veins, eager to begin the next adventure without delay, to waste not a moment of a precious life with a precious person, "Give you a special proposal? Why Wendy, the speciality in my proposal is that I can't wait!" And I leapt down onto one knee and took hold of her hand. "I love you more than _anything_ , I gave up Neverland for you, and I would give up so much more to live with you, properly and forever. I will do everything in my power to make our lives as adventurous as they could possibly be, for us and our little baby boy (or girl)." I placed a hand on her stomach and my voice took a gentler tone.

"Peter!" She burst out into jubilant laughter.

"Wendy, my very first lost girl! Will you marry me?" I looked up at her earnestly.

"Of course I will, yes, yes, yes!" She threw her arms round my neck, "Oh Peter! This is what I love about you; you don't bother with all the social expectations! Everything's so quick, so unexpected! So adventurous! Dash it I probably wouldn't be all that bothered about you taking me to a special place anyway- you've already taken me to Neverland!-"

I beamed at her endless chatter; a trait I hoped never would leave her side.

"We can defy all the rules of society together!" She whispered, her face flushed and bright, before kissing me hard on the lips. She ran her fingers down my back and I shuddered at her touch, her sweet chocolatey taste filled up my mouth once more and the faint smell of her, I was pretty sure now that it was strawberry, soap danced around my nose. I wrapped my arms round her and pulled her onto my lap. But that tipped the balance and we both collapsed onto the floor in a heap.

"The baby-!" I began, suddenly afraid of the jolt it must have caused him.

"Is fine, you cushioned my landing…" She stared at me breathlessly, "We're having a baby! We're getting married! Three months ago I was considering the idea that I might never see you again!" She laughed, "I'm so happy!"

"I know!" I laughed back, but then her perfect face, her vibrant blush, her sparkling eyes, the dress she was wearing that, while lying down, had fallen away from her chest slightly, tempted me.

I reached up and pressed my lips gently on her collarbone, planting little baby kisses across her chest. Each one I gave special attention to, making it the perfect kiss, an even number on each side of her neck. "I blame the dress…" I murmured into her skin.

She laughed aloud, "I should be sure then, to only wear it in private?"

"Absolutely!"

She smirked, "You're so lovesick."

"So are you." I gazed into her deep eyes and ran my tongue along my lips.

"Are you trying to seduce me dear Peter?" She touched a finger to her own rosy lips.

I reached up to grasp her hand, my eyes twinkling mischievously, "I'm always trying to-"

"I agree completely!" She interrupted suddenly, "Our house can be small… quaint perhaps, but not too small! We can think about the money later!" She flicked her hand to one side, completely reversing the previous topic. "We can go down to the agency…erm- this afternoon!"

I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off instantly, "I'm not doing anything this afternoon. Are you doing anything this afternoon?"

I opened my mouth once more.

"No of course you're not! We can think about arrangements for-"

But I grasped both her hands and sat up suddenly.

"Wah!" She cried out as I sat up, the force of me sitting up nearly toppling her backwards into the sofa.

But I flicked my arm out and caught her, pressing her into my chest and, before she could say anything more, I'd mumbled, "Good plan," and pressed my lips to hers yet again.

Then we heard the creak door open and click closed again.

The shuffling footsteps paused.

But we didn't break free, too absorbed in our kiss to notice Mary as she wandered faintly up to us.

"Mother!" Wendy burst out as she noticed Mary, pulling away much to my dismay, and completely disregarding the fact we'd been on the floor kissing for Great Britain.

"Peter just asked me to marry him!"

"Wendy! What was all that about?!" Mary blurted out at the same moment.

There was sudden silence.

"Tickle- erm- the manager was a lost boy!"

"He proposed!"

They both spoke again at the same time.

Then they laughed and dashed into each-other's arms.

"Oh Wendy I'm so thrilled!"

"I'm so sorry we were talking in riddles!"

I merely edged awkwardly off the floor, hoping Mary would ignore the fact that we had, indeed, been kissing on the living room carpet.

 **Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter; let me know what you thought of it in the reviews belowww!XD**

 **Acia xxx**


	19. Chapter 19- Haunted

Chapter 19- Haunted

We left after lunch, a house and a ring on our shopping list, "Not at all an expensive shop!" Mary had exclaimed with a light hearted laugh, but with slight concern embedded in her eyes and I was reminded once more that they weren't the richest family in the world.

Wendy skipped next to me as we went down the high street; our hands were intertwined, "Everything's happening a little quicker than I thought but… it's much more of an adventure that way!"

I smiled at her ebullient expression, "Yes… it is."

London was in its usual bustle and my eye was caught by anything and everything. The summer sun was hidden behind a layer of thick clouds, typical English weather, and the air was smoggy and smoky this far into London's centre. But the vibrant explosions of colour shooting from each shop window that we past were dazzling for the eyes, all manner of objects; pink, purple, blue dolls with brown, blonde and ginger hair, scarlet toy soldiers with the typical English fluffy, black hats, crooked walking sticks, stylish ebony walking sticks, bronze pots, silver pans, fancy, shining cutlery, small maps, large maps, shopping brochures, souvenirs, little trinkets, picnic baskets, shopping baskets, pet baskets, stylish dresses, working dresses, cloths, shirts, hats, cloaks, ballerina music boxes, flutes, violins, fiddles, newspapers, lamps, chandeliers, mirrors, the newly invented photo-frame, books of all colours, shapes and sizes, etcetera etcetera.

That was only a fraction of what my two eyes could capture in one go.

"The book shop!" Wendy cried out suddenly, pointing up at a tall building that towered graciously over the cobbled street, "Can we-?"

My facial expression was all the answer she needed.

Gripping my hands tightly she raced towards the shop, trying to look patient and leisurely to the eye but making a rather poor job of it.

I laughed at her impatience and kept up a quick pace to the book shop.

Large golden letters in scrawling handwriting read _what is a bookshelf other than a treasure chest for a curious mind?_ On a golden plaque outside the shop next to the large wooden oak door, with the typical fantasy story's looped metallic handle, just below the crooked sign that read _Tiffany's Bookstore_.

Wendy squealed at the window display that pushed forward into the street as if it were crying out _look at me! Look at me!_ and I turned.

 _Adventures in Neverland!_

It was a hardback, caramel coloured book with emerald letters upon the cover and a painting of the Island across its centre. Mystified by the sight of my Island in London I stepped closer and placed my hand on the cold glass- everything was in its right place; Mermaid Lagoon to the right, the Indians on their cliff top, the Jolly Roger sitting in the lagoon, where no doubt it was this very moment, and Hangman's tree, circled with fairy dust. I took my hand from the glass, leaving a pale imprint and Wendy dragged me into the quiet shop, the bell splitting through the air like fairies chattering.

I gasped, shelves lined every space on the wall, so crammed in you couldn't even get a glimmer of the painted walls behind it, that's assuming they were even painted. The owners had seen no need for a ceiling and the books simply rose upwards on and on at least three floors, if not four! Ladders lined the walls so the books could be taken down; they were thick ladders but the rope tied around their rungs didn't exactly make me content with their safety.

Books were piled haphazardly up on small tables that dotted the room; if you were to draw a line from table to table you'd make a zig-zag pattern. The room was dim; the only space for lamps were on occasional gaps on the round tables, and apart from that it was just the clouded over sun, looking like a faint glass orb in the sky, shining through the windows.

An old woman sat at the end of the never ending room, a pair of spectacles sitting on the edge of her nose, white wisps of hair falling across her brown eyes, and a book open in her hands; _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde._

"Mrs Tiffany?" Wendy spoke into the silence and the old woman jumped up out of her seat with a startled cry.

"Oh good heavens child! You made me jump!" She chuckled and placed her book gently down on the table, as if it were made of glass.

"I'm so sorry Mrs Tiffany! I was just wondering if I could have a look at my book? I'm Wendy- in case you forgot."

She pushed her spectacles up on her nose and squinted, "Oh no dear one I remember just fine! You came in a few months ago with your younger brother for a medical book, right? Or was that another girl with auburn-brownish coloured hair…?" She scratched the side of her temple and Wendy laughed.

"Oh no Miss, that was me."

"I owe you a 'congratulations' then!" She smiled, showing her glorious mouth of missing teeth, but her eyes were kind and soft, and the missing teeth made her seem like a little child, along with her tiny frame and delicate wrists and hands. I wouldn't be surprised if someone snapped her in two whilst giving her a hug she was so small! She padded round her table and across the room to another rounded table.

"Thank you Mrs Tiffany." Wendy stepped further in and I followed her lead, staring in wonder at the rows and rows and piles and piles of books of all shapes and sizes. I ran my fingers across the spines as I passed them like I used to do when I was a child, before books became an old memory.

"This is your table dear; there aren't many copies here but that's a good thing! It means they're selling quick! I've actually just sent an order for a new lot; they're very popular. I've even read it myself! Such an imagination!" He babbling was identical to Wendy's and I held back a laugh at the similarity. Wendy sent me a knowing but disapproving glance, "And that Peter Pan sounds simply wonderful! My sister married a man with a last name of Pan… how odd? It's not a very common name is it?"

I clicked my tongue in satisfaction and turned to her, "Why thank you ma'am, he's based off me!"

"Cocky idiot," Wendy whispered to herself, so quietly the old woman couldn't have heard, as she admired her books.

I brushed against Wendy impishly, my eyes politely trained on the old lady.

"Oh really! How excitin-" She paused then, the smile slipping quickly from her face, and she stared, star-struck, at my face for the first time.

"Erm… Mrs Tiffany, is it?" I asked her, suddenly afraid.

"Ma'am?" Wendy stepped forward, her hand slipping from her books.

"Joshua?!" She whispered, her eyes widening.

"Who-? No, I'm Peter, Peter P-"

"Oh! Ahaha I'm sorry dear," She leaned against the table and pressed the palm of her hand into her head, "You just reminded me of someone suddenly…You look so familiar see?"

"Familiar…" I stared at her, dumbly repeating her words. Her eyes were a light brown, almost hazel or gold…and those tiny, slender fingers… Yes… she did seem familiar…? She was probably someone I'd walked past in the street at some point; I'd been in London long enough to recognise faces.

"You see I had a sister and she had two boys," She began, clearly a lover for stories and chatter. "One of which died in his early teens (called Peter too actually- how funny!) You look just like him too! And the other, Joshua, who died along with her from Influenza about ten years later. Both boys looked identical! People used to call Joshua Peter sometimes y'know. But I'm proud to say I never ever mixed them up! Anyways her husband disappeared after that- never saw him again… So the whole family's gone," She tutted and began to move back to her desk.

My heart jumped against my chest suddenly, straining against my skin.

Her sister had a boy named Peter.

I was called Peter.

Last name Pan.

An uncommon name.

Then she had another child.

The child I saw through the window, in my bed, in my room.

They died and the father disappeared.

I hadn't seen my family in over forty years.

I also had an aunt; my sister's sister.

Last name Tiffany.

First name "Eliza."

I blurted the word out and watched her pause, my heart hammering against my chest, my whole body frozen like ice.

"Hm? Yes, I'm called Eliza dear."

But I was no longer listening; my mind had been engulfed by memories, Sunday dinners, her winking at me from across the church isle, her face smoother, no wrinkles back then but soft skin with rosy cheeks, the day she bought my school bag and wrapped it half in brown paper and half in newspaper because she ran out, when she gave birth to her Henry and I held him in my arms as she made me a hot chocolate, a rare treat that only she'd give, the walks around the parks, my small hands intertwined with her slender fingers, until I grew taller than her- she was always small- when she chased me round the park, the dog barking in a steady rhythm 'bark-bark-bark', yes those were the most vivid ones, the ones in the park. In the gardens having a picnic, she'd bake her apple crumple as always and would never fail to give me the biggest slice. The way she cradled little Henry; he was only a toddler when I left… only a toddler with a mop of strawberry blonde hair like his mother.

"No… you called me sweetie. Or honey." I shuddered violently as the words dropped out my mouth like stones, my voice sounded foreign, as if I was speaking in a different world, my head and thoughts were detached from the real world; I felt dazed. This was meant to be a new start- I wasn't supposed to run into the past- I wasn't supposed to find them-

She stared at me, "How do you-?"

"You said- you said your sister's last name was Pan…like me… what was her name?" My breaths were coming hard and fast now. I had to be sure. I had to know.

"Nancy… Nancy Pan, and she married Horace…" Her words vanished into the air as she stared at my face, looking at my eyes, and then drifting to my hair and my ears and my chin, examining every resemblance I had to her Peter and her Joshua. So that was the other child's name… the one they had when I left: Joshua.

Joshua Pan.

"Aunt Eliza…" I gripped the side of the table, my knuckles turning steadily white.

"Peter?" Wendy reached out for me but I flinched away from her. She didn't understand; her family is perfect. Mine wasn't; mine was far from perfect. Aunt Eliza was the only one who understood that- the younger sister.

" _Aunt Eliza, Aunt Eliza! Watch me! Watch this!" I placed my chubby five- year- old hands on the floor and rolled over, then rolled backwards, the floor turning into the sky and the sky into the floor as I rolled._

 _She clapped and laughed, "Wow! You clever boy Peter!"_

" _Peter! Stop that nonsense this instant!" Father's harsh voice swung down on me like a hammer, drowning out Aunt Eliza's praise like a tsunami, "See now!" He grasped the clothing on my shoulder, pinching the skin hard as he went, and dragged me from the ground. I cried out, "You've got grass stains all over that new shirt! You know how much that cost me? That was bye, bye to another bottle of rum from me. You ungrateful fool!" Spittle flew from his mouth and speckled my face. I squeezed my eyes tight, my shoulder searing with pain. "Look. At. Me. when I'm talking to you." He gripped hold of my face and I opened my eyes a crack._

" _Jimmy, come now! It'll wash out," Aunt Eliza placed a hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off harshly. However her words always did have a small effect and he released his hold._

" _Well you better wash it out yourself! Go! Now!" He spat, "I want that washed up by the time I get home!"_

He didn't slap me that time- he never did when Aunt Eliza was there.

"Who are you?" Eliza's voice barely rose above a whisper, but it was enough to drag me from that cavern of memories.

"Peter, Peter Pan." I bit my lip, hard. "Your Peter…"

"You died."

"No…" I looked towards the book.

"It's not true- it can't be true." She followed my gaze and her voice rose another notch, "You died, and then Nancy and little Joshua died too. Your gravestones are in the church gardens! You're dead!"

"No I'm not... It's true. Neverland- it's all true; I ran away! You know what my father was like, and my mother! You were always the gentlest… you must have known we hated each other." My words came out in a jumble of words and blood began to fill my mouth and dribble down my chin.

"Your parents loved you Peter." She bit back, but her voice quivered.

"No they didn't, they didn't!" My voice shook no matter how hard I tried to keep it calm. "You always understood that!"

"I don't believe you. You're trying to trick me! To scam me!" She stepped backwards until she hit the desk and a lamp fell over. The glass smashed as it hit the table, a rebounding shatter, and she gave a small scream.

Wendy jumped beside me and the room went silent.

And darker.

"No…" I shook my head vigorously, "Aunt Eliza it's true, pleas-"

"Don't call me that! Don't ever call me that! Even if you ran, even if it's true- you left me, I thought we were close! You could've come to me! Why would you leave me? I was worried sick! You disappeared and then six months later they said you were _dead._ Said you'd probably drowned in the river on a night time walk," Her voice took a mocking tone I'd never heard before and I flinched. I'd never seen her this angry- never. "Do you know how it felt? How I felt?" Tears welled up in her eyes and she slumped against the desk-top, her voice old and weak.

"Aunt Eliza," I took a step closer and she flinched, but didn't recoil from me, "I'm sorry. I was afraid of growing old and becoming like _them_ , I didn't think, I just ran… and then after I'd gone to Neverland I forgot how to live, so I hid away until now. I didn't expect to find you-"

"Oh so you didn't want to find me? You thought it'd be easier for yourself if we never saw each other again huh?" She sniffed and my heart twisted in my chest, "You're _dead_ , Nancy's dead, Joshua's dead, Horace is dead! The whole family's gone! Don't come back in on my life Peter! You can't just stroll back in after fifty years and expect me to embrace you with open arms! _Fifty_ years Peter! And a fantasy story to explain your absence and the fact you haven't grown."

"So you believe me?" My voice turned unwillingly hopeful and she closed her eyes and turned away.

"You look too much like my Peter for me to not believe you…" She breathed a laugh, "I thought of you like a son, and you just _left me_."

My eyes stung with fresh tears. "I won't ask for forgiveness… but I'm sorry." The words sounded empty even to me. Guilt snaked through my veins, I'd only thought of Eliza once when I left, and when I returned and saw baby Joshua in my bed, and Eliza playing with Henry I assumed they'd forgotten. I assumed they didn't need me.

A childish conclusion.

Wendy slipped her hand into my own and I weakly smiled up at her with wet eyes.

"You found love."

I turned to Eliza.

"That's why you came back."

"Yes."

Eliza pushed off the table and stepped towards me, crossing the room slowly before placing her old, wrinkled fingers to my face, "You've grown a little," She commented, "You're face is more oval; a man's face. You need to shave too," She stroked the uneven strands of ginger that were appearing on the end of my chin. She breathed in deeply, "I'm sorry I blew up…but you're not forgiven," Her voice grew suddenly stronger, "Not until you make it up to me with picnics and cuddles and stories and reasons _why_ you left and, and fifty years' worth of Christmas presents!"

I laughed, "I used to make you an angel every year…"

"Yes, sometimes a star." She gazed at me, hurt, happiness, confusion, anger all wound round her eyes, but love shone the strongest. "I can get why you left: Horace, was a father trying to mould you into his cookie cutter, and Nancy was always mad about obedience… I'm sorry for never helping you more back then. I was too scared of Horace (and Nancy) to do anything about it."

"Don't be- you did help me. Whenever I saw you! You made me happy," I replied earnestly, with a small smile.

She stroked along my cheek and I closed my eyes, letting the memories of her doing this in youth race across my mind. I fell into her then, resting my chin on the top of her paper white head and she wrapped her tiny arms round my body, "Oh Peter!" Tears filed her eyes once more.

"Please don't cry; I'm back now. I'm not dead- we can go on picnics again! Without the past haunting us! Picnics with Wendy and the baby and Henry-"

"Baby?" She pulled back suddenly, her eyes wide.

Wendy giggled, "I'm having a baby Mrs Tiffany."

"Oh no call me Eliza!" She said out of habit, before crying out, "Peter's baby!"

She laughed, "Yes- that's another reason why he came back…" She grinned, unable to hold back her smile at the thought of our child.

"Oh good heavens!" Her eyes were wide and her mouth had formed an amusing O shape.

At that moment a young girl stepped out from behind the back room, wearing a toffee coloured dress with a lacy white collar and black heeled boots that disappeared up her dress and clicked and clopped on the floor as she walked.

"Is everything okay Grandmamma?" She twirled her strawberry locks round her fingers.

"Oh yes dear…" Eliza replied hesitantly apparently unsure of how to explain the situation.

"Did you hear about those houses between Kensington and the church; apparently they're selling cheap because of the graveyard but I think they're quite sweet. Right next to Kensington as well." She shrugged and picked up a pile of books off the floor and walked across to one of the round tables.

Silence.

She paused after a minute of sorting, "Er… is everything okay? Sorry about my Grandmamma- she's quite old. How can I help you?" She walked up to us.

"You're Henry's." I blurted out- what was with my brain at the moment? I had no control over what I was saying! Things just kept falling out!

"Er… yeah he's my papa…" She nodded and raised her eyebrows, her bottom lip curling over the top one like she was waiting for someone to say something. I stared at her young face and dark brown eyes, the eyes of my mother and Eliza, the eyes I'd, too, inherited. Her face was small and slender, as was her body, just like her grandmother's was. Unlike my mother, who'd been plump and tall, this girl could only have been five foot, but the heels made her seem taller. "So?" She said eventually.

"I knew him."

She gave me a look, " _Knew_? You look younger than me. What business did you have with my father?"

"When he was a toddler," I was making no sense at all.

She frowned and stared, her lips parted in a ' _what the hell and you on?'_ facial expression. "O-kayyy! Well I'm gonna call the police and you can get out of my Grandmamma's shop," She popped the 'p' and motioned to the door.

"No!" Eliza said suddenly, finding her voice at last, "I need to talk to you and your father Elisha… Peter..." She stopped, looking rather dazed. "I believe you, but that doesn't mean to say I believe it… but then again I've seen enough crazy things in this world to believe it…" She frowned in confusion at her own words, then opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"I shouldn't stay and intrude. Wendy and I have stuff to do anyway." I looked across at my girl and she smiled hesitantly back.

"Okay; come back soon and see me. We need to do some catching up, but for now I need to think…" She smiled, her pale lips stretching across her worn face. "Congratulations on the baby my Peter, and you Wendy dear." She sighed, "Oh my heart's gone all floppy now. This is too much in one day for an old woman like me; come into the back Elisha and flip the closed sign over for me." She toddled off, her slipper like shoes shuffling on the rug as she went.

Elisha frowned, confusion clouding over her eyes, "It's a long story," I said, "Elisha." Her name sounded sweet on my tongue and it hit me that she my niece, even though I was younger than her, but older at the same time.

"Yeah…" She looked sceptically at us, "If you've hurt my Grandmamma in any way-"

"We haven't," Wendy said hurriedly.

"No… we have." I said.

I could see Wendy turning to me out of the corner of my eye, "I apologise. I have to go." I then turned and, grasping Wendy's hand, raced out of the shop, the bell ringing loudly in my wake.

"Hey!" Elisha shouted, but the word was cut short by the door slamming behind us.

I kept running, Wendy yelling from behind at me to, "Slow down! You'll rip my arm off!"

But I didn't stop, there was that lifeless feeling again, I felt invincible, elated, yet weighed down by sorrow and hurt at the same time. The feelings didn't mix well and I giggled deliriously.

"Peter!" Wendy tugged sharply on my arm, halting us in the middle of the path.

"There's something I have to see!" I cried out to her, "I'll explain on the way come on!" I turned and ran again, dodging people in the streets, weaving in and out like it was an obstacle course- something I had much practice with from the lost boys. "I thought I could live a detached life form my past, I didn't think they mattered, I thought I could forget it all but… I can't! My past _is me_ Wendy!" I laughed suddenly, "I just felt like I was two people! No three! The before, the during, and now the after!"

I turned to her as I went my breaths rapid with the constant running, "Does that make any sense?"

She laughed "No!"

We reached a large square with a huge lion statue in the middle, families were eating sandwiches on the benches, their children running round chasing each other, people were walking dogs, some domesticated, others yapping for their lives, carriages past round the statue, sweepers tidied the square; London was alive.

I swung suddenly from the open square and down an overgrown path.

"Where're we going?" Wendy called out from behind me as we jumped over roots and plants that thrust out from the sides and bottom of the path.

"To see my family!"

My eye finally caught sight of the tell-tale rusty gate at the end and I sped up, Wendy panting behind me.

I clicked it open and we burst out into the graveyard, both wheezing.

"Help me look for Pan." I said somewhat urgently, grasping her face with my two hands and kissing her hastily on the lips.

"Okay," She replied, squeezing my hand and racing off to the other end of the graves.

If they were going to be buried in any church it would be this one.

I knew from previous visits that our old house was no longer there, it had been demolished like most other slum areas during a government act, but this church was still there. The church we'd gone to every Sunday. It was strange how close Wendy and I's houses had been, given the immensity of London, of Britain, of the world.

My eyes flickered from gravestone to gravestone.

 _Edward Smith, beloved husband of…._

 _Rest in Peace…_

 _Amy Becket, with the lord…_

 _Katherine Slight (1833- 1876)_

"Peter!" My head snapped up and I saw Wendy across the other side, her hair flapping across her face in the cool breeze, "They're here!"

I ran at first, but slowed to a walk as I neared the graves.

Wendy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pointed down…

 _Beloved son Joshua Horace Pan 1854-1865_

 _Beloved mother and wife Nancy Claire Pan 1830-1865_

 _Rest in Peace_

They shared a grave. My eyes turned to the one next to it.

 _Beloved son of Horace and Nancy Pan_

 _Peter Nathan Pan 1840- 1854_

 _With the lord in peace_

I lowered myself down and sat cross-legged in front of the graves.

Wendy joined me. We were silent for a while, both lost in musing. Who'd have thought I'd run into Aunt Eliza? And her granddaughter at that? Her pained voice still snaked through my veins, weighing down my heart in guilt at my reckless and thoughtless actions.

"What were they like?" Wendy asked.

"Father was a fraud." I began immediately, "He was a banker, but he stole from the bank, little bits that would go unnoticed and then he'd spend it on rum and going out, often with mum. He managed to keep up a respectable face though, I dunno how… we lived in the slums but on the rim- we had our own house with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and outhouse. But it wasn't like… carpeted properly or anything, just a few rugs. It was small, but my parents were never there anyway- I guess that's one thing I can be happy about- they were close my parents. He didn't go off with any other women- they loved each other…"

Wendy slipped her hand into my own, "Did he hurt you?"

It hit me suddenly that Wendy knew little of my past before Neverland; I'd never told anyone. Most people who had known me were either dead or Eliza's age, after all she was only twenty odd when I left. She deserved to know.

"They liked obedience; they wanted a perfect child that would do whatever they wanted. I wasn't like that; I didn't fit his hole, so I got beaten when I didn't conform to their 'perfect child.' I used to be afraid I'd grow up and become them, hurt my own child, I guess that's the main reason I left… but I'm different to them- I know I am." My voice quivered.

"Yes, you are." I looked at her, "You're funny, amazing, imaginative, creative, loving, caring… beautiful… and all mine."

She leaned into me and I wrapped my arms round her shoulders. The sun splintered through the clouds, creating a patchwork of light across the gravestones.

"Your aunt is nice."

I smiled, "She always has been."

"She can come to the wedding! With Elisha! She looks really kind, and so caring of her grandmother- maybe we can be friends (and she works in a bookshop so… discounts!)" She sang.

"Hey! That's cheating!" I cried out. "You shouldn't make friends for the benefits!"

She laughed, "I'm kidding!" She pecked me on the nose, "I'd never do that, and you know I wouldn't."

"Well… I didn't think you would….until now." I winked and she laughed once more, the sound of it ringing in my ears like bells.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I kissed her slowly but she pulled back.

"This feels weird."

"What?"

"Kissing in front of your mother, your brother and your own graves'."

I snorted, "We should probably get rid of my gravestone."

"Er… yeah sounds good. Wait…what did they bury?"

"Huh?" I frowned at her.

"Well you have a grave but what on Neverland is below it?"

I stared at her. "Dirt."

She gave me a look as if to say _'well duh of course.'_ "I mean… what did they _bury_?"

"Well… nothing. Cos I'm here."

"Well yeah… bu-"

"Dummy!"

"Hey! There could be old trinkets or toys or something that your parents buried instead! Clearly I didn't think your non-existent dead body was under there!" She flicked her hair and began to walk off.

I sniggered, "Well how am I supposed to know if they buried my old stuff?"

"I don't know! It was just a random- question- conversation starter thingy! I didn't expect an answer like 'Oh yeah I watched them but my old teddy and pack of cards in the ground.'"

"Pack of cards?" She threw her hands up in exasperation, her eyes sparkling, "Well why did you ask then?" I stood up.

"I don't know!" She was laughing now, covering her mouth with her hand.

I raced up to her and scooped her into my arms, "Oh I do love you."

"I love you too!" She pecked me on the lips. "Did you catch what Elisha said about those houses?"

"What houses?"

"Those houses," And she pointed to the back end of the graveyard where a row of new houses were still being built.

I grinned and placed her feet firmly on the ground, taking her hand and wandering out the graveyard, not once looking back at the gravestones.


	20. Chapter 20- Flames

Chapter 20- Flames

Wendy was in love with the houses before we even went inside them. Out of the twenty identical houses running down the street, ten on either side, only seven had been sold.

Apparently no one liked the graveyard.

Which meant good houses were going cheaper.

They weren't as big as the Darling house but they really were beautiful. All were made from the same maroon brick with large white windows giving it a modern look. A charcoal coloured door was to the right with a shimmering golden handle and doorknocker. The door was embedded in the house by a white arch ringed with brick that pointed into a triangle at the top. At the top of the white arch there was a sculptured lion mid- roar.

"Awesome." I whispered.

There were two bay windows, one to the left on the ground floor, the other just above it; both were structured using the same white marble that made two columns up the glass, and another two that attached it safely to the wall, keeping the windows strong, each column was headed with that same roaring lion.

Above the door was a thinner window with no columns, but just as tall and proud. Overhead that the roof flattened out, creating a slight slope, completely contrasting the left side where part of the roof had thrust upwards, creating a third floor and a triangle- roof. Another window was situated in the centre of this triangle, split into three by two narrow columns, significantly smaller than those in the bay windows, and with no lions. The top of this triangle was ringed with a white design, two lines that encased a swirling pattern.

The finishing touch of the house.

The houses were detached but had no basement. The gardens on one side of the street were small and backed into the graveyard; the other side's had no garden but backed onto Kensington gardens. All the houses had a very small driveway that could be used for either a carriage or a garden. At the moment there were no bushes or plants, but I could easily imagine a trimmed bush growing up around the driveway, two red, brick plant pots by the doorway holding velvety flowers of all colours and sizes.

"Oh aren't they beautiful!" Wendy gasped.

"Let's go inside before we make any decisions." I warned her, taking her hand gently.

"Oh but the houses backing onto Kensington or the graveyard?" She bit her lip and looked from one side to the other.

We stared at each other momentarily before both agreeing,

"Kensington!"

A portly gentleman in a slick black suit, contrasting his pale, sweaty face with an abnormally large nose, led us round the house.

The entrance corridor was narrow and dimly lit by the light from outside, ("We can get lamps," Wendy reassured herself,) but led off into a good living room adjoined to a dining room on the right through a smooth wooden door with a rounded handle. The bay window let in tonnes of light that stretched to the end of the dining room, and the room was airy but cosy.

I beamed at Wendy: it was perfect!

A door at the back of this room led into a large kitchen with a backdoor leading straight out onto Kensington gardens. Wendy squealed in delight, "Oh it's so beautiful out there!" I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair.

"It is." I agreed, watching as the clouds shifted above, creating moving patches of light that dotted the lush green grass and the leaves on the tall trees in the distance.

We then went back, round into the corridor and up the stairs. The stairs were narrow like the hallway but they were all we needed. The tall window we'd seen above the door from outside shone light across the stairs and landing, making the white, unpainted walls shine and glisten.

There were two large rooms, one door directly across from the stairs, the other to the right, above the living area downstairs, and an indoor toilet and bathroom was situated in the middle of them, a very well sized one at that. The house was completely furniture-less except for this bathroom where a bathtub stood proudly on golden legs, its head of taps held high, and a matching sink and toilet added to the design in the quaint room.

Wendy ran her hands across the white, porcelain tub, "I love it. We can get matching towels and a golden coloured rail to put them on, oo! And we can place a set of twin cupboards up here on the wall… and then we can have light blue curtains- no, no! We'll have blue towels too actually, to add a bit of colour to the room!"

I laughed kindly, "Whatever you wish for."

Up the second set of stairs led to an even larger bedroom, "Or you can use it as an office or nursery if you prefer," The portly gentleman said. The room looked out of both sides of the house, the street and Kensington, and was long and rectangular with a pointed ceiling, like the roof above.

"It's a brand new, well- built house, approved by all officials. I don't want to push you into a decision but they're selling fast; I'd get it now if I were you." The gentlemen cleared his throat loudly and stared intensely at us both, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah…" I glanced out the window and the seven 'sold' signs, "They're selling _ever so fast_!"

The man stiffened at my sarcasm, "I'm just warning you-"

"It's okay… I think we're getting it anyway… I'm good with impulse buys." Wendy winked and looked up at me, "What do you think?" She took hold of my hand, her eyes shining with excitement at the prospect of having her own house to design and decorate and plan out.

"I like it but… should we ask your parents of their view first…" I licked the sore on my lip where I'd bitten down on it earlier that day.

"Unless we surprise them… after all mother knew we'd be looking at houses today…" She began to fiddle with her nails.

I glanced round the house, suddenly imagining Wendy writing in this room upstairs, I playing with young children who had caramel coloured hair in the gardens, them racing through the house and up the stairs into a pretty nursery with green walls and stars on the ceiling.

I stroked the side of her face tenderly, "It's done then. House bought." I grinned. "I'll let you sort out the paper work, after all one girl is worth twenty boys; they must be smarter."

She huffed loudly, "Incompetent man."

I sniggered.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"We've got a house! We've got a house! Oh my god! Oh my gods! I'M SO EXCITED!" Wendy quivered with elation, her eyes sparkling and her voice taking on a pitch way too high for my liking.

I yawned loudly; three hours it had taken to go to the bank, take out deposit money, do all the paper work, sign a load of forms that I didn't read and Wendy had to read for me and explain what they meant, crying out "You can't sign up for something if you haven't read it you idiot! Read the small print! Contracts are dangerous!"

However, we were finally free; the house was ours, well technically most of it was the bank's, but…

"Oh my goodness what'll we need? A bed, sofas, proper kitchen utensils, pots and pans, carpets, erm… curtains, a table, chairs, bedside tables, wardrobes oh my! Well auf wiedersehen book money!" She sang, but she didn't sound that gutted.

I chuckled, "Now you're going to tell me you can speak German?"

"Ja! But just a little… I can speak Italian too!" She informed me.

"How much else do I not know about you?" I nipped her waist and she laughed.

"Not much… I'm an open book after all." She winked.

"What's your favourite book?" I asked as we walked in sync down the high street, our feet clip-clopping on the cobbled road, everyone else bustling about the street fading into the background as I concentrated on her answer.

"The play, _The Importance of Being Earnest_ ; its hilarious trust me- we'll have to go and see it sometime!" Her voice turned suddenly posh and she sucked in a large breath and cried out, "A HANDBAAAAAG!"

"Huh?"

"Oh," She blushed crimson, "It's a quote!"

I sniggered, "Riiight!"

"Oh shut up, you!" She smacked me playfully.

"Okay-okay! Sooo…What's your favourite sport?"

"Dancing with you." Her face softened.

"What's your favourite animal?"

"A wolf."

"Why?"

"They're more intelligent than we think. And their eyes are so beautiful; crystal blue."

"What's your favourite subject?"

"English literature."

"What's your favourite song?"

She laughed then, "I don't know! Anyway you've had far too many turns! My turn now, favourite animal?"

"Crocodile."

She snorted.

"It's true!"

"Okay, okay," She held up her hands in surrender, "Favourite book?"

"Adventures in Neverland because it's about me!"

"You're so childish," She scoffed, "Favourite sport?"

"Flying."

"Is that a sport?"

"Burns more fat than running." I held my hands up in a dramatic shrug and she giggled again.

"Fair enough, what's your-"

But she was cut off by the scream.

My head jolted up and it was then that we noticed it.

The building was tall, at least five stories high; it was a block of flats no doubt. Flames licked the windows of the building and a blinding light blazed from inside, engulfing the house in smoke and curling round and out the windows and up the house to the higher floors like a rapidly spreading infection.

How we hadn't noticed it until we were right under it still boggles my mind.

A crowd had accumulated round the building, forming a semi-circle on the street and helping people that tumbled out the burning building, coughing and spluttering.

Wendy gripped hold of my hand as we came closer, shouts piercing the air…

"SOMECALL CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE!"

"HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THERE?"

"IS EVERYONE OKAY?"

"IS EVERYONE OUT THE BUILDING?"

"EVACUATE EVERYONE ON THE BLOCK!"

"IT'S TOO BIG, IT'LL SPREAD!"

"MY CHILD! MY CHILD'S IN THAT BUILDING!"

My head snapped towards a sobbing woman who was being pulled back from diving into the building by two men.

"MY CHILD! MY BABY! LET ME GO TO MY BABY!"

Wendy shifted closer to me, her body now quivering in horror.

I turned to her, acting purely on impulse, my mind not even processing the situation properly; just instinct. "Wait here for me, I'll be back I promise." I kissed her hurriedly, barely even a peck.

"Peter?" Her face clouded over in confusion and before the realisation could hit her I'd raced off to the woman.

"Where in the building is she?" I gripped hold of the woman's shoulders.

She stared at me, tears and dust from the smoke etched into her skin, before she blurted out, "Fourth floor! Please help her, she's only four, please!"

"I can try." My voice sounded distant, alien.

Instinctive.

I took off immediately, ignoring Wendy's agonised shout from behind me.

"PETER! PETER NO PLEASE! WAIT!"

And the shouts of others.

"OY KID!" 

"Wait for the fire brigade!"

"IT'S SUICIDE!"

But I ignored them, only the thought of saving the child in my head.

"SHE'S PROBABLY ALREADY DEAD FROM THE SMOKE!"

I glanced up as I mounted the steps to the doorway which was lodged open, smoke billowing out the entrance. No; the flames had only reached the third floor, and if the child was in a room with the door shut the smoke wouldn't have killed her yet.

Ripping part of my shirt and tying it tightly round my mouth and nose I dived into the grey blind.

Smoke was immediately sucked into my lungs, causing me to hack and cough, and flakes of black settled atop my skin, threaded themselves in to my hair, wound their way into my ears.

Fear suddenly paralysed me, what was I thinking? This was crazy!

But then I thought of the woman outside; what of that had been Wendy? And the girl upstairs my child? Wouldn't I want someone to save her?

I squinted and made out the faint outline of a staircase behind the veil of grey. I raced towards it and began to mount it, but halfway up the flames appeared licking down the stairs, sucking all the air up and shooting out smoke. The ceiling above me creaked and groaned; it was going to fall.

Happy thoughts! Think happy thoughts!

Slightly laughing by the fire, Curly and Nibs dancing to my panpipes, Wendy chattering away, her eyes sparkling, Tinkerbell shooting alongside me as we soared through the sky…

I pushed off, hovering mid- air for a few moments, not even seconds, but then I collapsed back down on the staircase, my bones thwacking against the wood, sending pain shooting through my entire body.

My lungs screamed in agony as the cloth slipped from my face and I inhaled a cloud of smoke and ashes.

There was a thundering groan and a ear splitting crack as the wood above me splintered.

I had to move.

Now.

The flames leered down at me, tumbling down the staircase one by one, coming ever closer.

I was trapped.

No, "Not yet!"

With a growl I slapped the cloth back over my mouth and closed my eyes.

Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!

A young girl racing away from me, flowers in my hair, "Daddy! Daddy catch me, catch me!"

Wendy laughing as she held another child in her arms, the sun shining down on us, a tamed wolf with crystal blue eyes barking loudly as he, too, chased the girl, knocking her off her feet and licking her face. "Gotcha!" My voice as I scooped her into my arms.

"Higher daddy! Daddy higher!"

Higher! I had to fly up higher! Past the first floor, dodging the flames as they reached up to entangle me in their snaring grasp, their arms scalding hot, ignoring the thundering crash as the floor below me collapsed onto the stairs, don't look back, don't think about getting out, think about going higher, past the second, the flames were thick here and the heat almost unbearable.

I felt my arm burn as a flame caught hold of my wrist; a thousand nerves shrieked in pain. But I kept flying, away from the flame, faster now, higher now, past the third floor even, and up to the fourth were I tumbled headfirst onto the landing, my head smacking against the wall, black spots blotting out what little vision I had in this black veiled building.

I grunted in pain, the smoke was thicker here than it was downstairs, almost black. "Hello?" My voice sounded scratchy and hoarse. "Is anyone here?"

"Mammy! Mammy!" A tiny voice called faintly from the right. I scrambled towards it, now feeling for a door handle, my sense of sight completely gone.

"Where are you?" I coughed.

"Mammy!? Mammy help me!" She was screaming now, becoming hysterical.

"That's it! Keep talking to me sweetie!" I called out, my head cocked to one side, listening so intently I even felt the muscles in my eyes ache.

"Mammy! I'm stuck! Mammy!"

My hand knocked into a door handle and I scrabbled with the door; it was stuck.

With a huge yell I slammed my shoulder into the wood, bursting the hinges, the door flew backwards, smacking against the floor and wall opposite.

Smoke swarmed into the room.

The girl screamed.

But in the more airy room I'd caught sight of her, just before the smoke from the hallway turned the room black. I raced towards her general direction and felt for her tiny body. My fingers grasped the edges of her dress and I scooped her into my arms.

She kicked out, "Mom-" before she dissolved into coughs, chocking and retching. I reached down and snatched a blanket from the floor that I'd clocked onto moments before and covered her mouth with it.

It was a race of time now.

I sprinted to the stair case and simply dropped down the gap that lead to the ground floor; the stairs encasing it in a ring.

I didn't slow until I was milliseconds from hitting the floor, ignoring her scream of fear and the fact she was pinching my skin as she held on for dear life.

The fallen ceiling had left a small gap that I could just about make out through the darkness that engulfed us; I didn't even talk to her, I just pushed her through and she stumbled out the building.

The stair case creaked and splintered, part of the banister snapped and crashed down by the side of me, sending sparks shooting into my face. I cried out, retching as the smoke seared down my throat, and dragged myself achingly slowly through the hole, trying fretfully to ignore the blistering heat on the wooden ceiling- now- turned- floor and the roar of the fire as it came closer still.

Barely breathing I staggered towards the door and toppled out, straight into the arms of a man in a brown buttoned up uniform and a leather helmet ringed with brass, a bronze emblem in the centre.

"Are you okay son? Can you hear me?" His voice was soft and his face quite young, thirty maybe?

I coughed in reply before croaking out a, "I'm fine, but I don't know about the girl."

The man turned to the side where the mother was rushing up to her baby, tucked in the arm of another fireman, "Oh my baby! Oh my Lizzy, sweetheart?"

"Mammy?" She shifted in the man's arms and reached out for her mother.

A few men rushed past us into the building, their uniforms and numbers a blur in my vision.

"Thank you!" The mother stumbled across to me and kissed me on the cheek, "Thank you so much for saving my little girl!"

I barely had time to mutter out a dazed, "No problem…" before she was taken off towards an ambulance and I was lead off to the side.

People were shouting, sirens were whirling, figures were running in all directions, mainly those in brown uniforms, and I was still being held up by the young fireman, his arm under my shoulders, hoisting me up. He was talking to me, "You're going to be fine. That was very brave. You saved a life. We wouldn't have got here in time." But I wasn't really taking it in; my squinted and stinging eyes scoured the crowds, the mass of blurry colour, for Wendy's silky hair.

"Peter!" She cried out, appearing suddenly by my side, tears welling up in her blue eyes, and she collapsed into my arms, "You stupid, stupid man! Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She sniffled loudly. "I tried to follow you in but then the woman pulled me back and-"

"Sorry," I mumbled, half leaning into her and half still against the fireman.

"You better be! Don't EVER do that again!" She wrapped her arms protectively around me.

"But I'm okay, aren't I?" I murmured in her ear, her hair brushing the edge of my face.

"Your lungs probably aren't!" She bit back, her voice choking up.

"Yeah… but who needs lungs?"

She glared at me, but her lips twitched.

We finally reached our destination; a carriage with the crimson plus sign stitched into a white cloth which was then stitched into the black side of the carriage. The friendly face of Dr Ackerman filled my vision as I was helped onto the steps, "Hello again Peter," He tutted, "What have you done now?"

"Sorry doc," I mumbled, beginning to grin.

He gave a small sigh back and shook his head, "What are you going to do with him Wendy?"

She breathed a laugh and sighed, "Oh I don't know."

He then checked me over, listened to my heart, my breathing, looked down my throat, in my eyes and ears and so on. "Just one burn, you must have dodged the flames well," He smiled gently and pressed a wet cloth to my arm.

I jolted and hissed in pain as my arm stung and throbbed, Wendy intertwined her fingers in my own reassuringly.

It was then wrapped up with fresh, clean bandages and fixed on with a safety pin, "This'll keep out the infection but if you give it a bit of air in bed to help it heal a bit quicker. Apart from that…well… I wouldn't be surprised if you have a sore throat for a good few weeks, I want you to exercise as little as possible as well to give your lungs a chance to repair themselves from all that smoke; no more until I give you the all clear! And try not to light too many fires at home Wendy; keep the air as fresh as possible."

"Yes Dr."

"Alright Peter? I'll come and check on you tomorrow evening."

"Thank you Doc." I smiled up at him and he patted my head fondly.

"Be careful," He smiled knowingly, then winked and added airily, "Oh and congratulations on the baby, daddy."

I beamed up at him, shifting half excitedly and half awkwardly at his congratulations.

Just then the thirty-year-old fire man stepped up from the side- lines, "Peter, the head would like a word with you if that's okay."

"The head?"

"Of the fire brigade."

I nodded, feeling as if I was a school boy about to be told off by the teacher, "Okay, but first is the girl okay?"

"She's fine; you got there just in time. She has a few light burns but nothing as bad as your arm- you must have protected her well." He smiled warmly and I thought back to the building, remembering how I'd wrapped my arms around her tiny frame, encasing her in a shield. I'd done it instinctively- I couldn't even remember thinking about moving my arms like that.

I glanced up at him but he was looking across at the building.

I followed his gaze; at least ten firemen surrounded the building, some hanging out of windows, others halfway up ladders, all spraying water on the quickly dispersing fire. On the ground other men were pumping water up the pipes to them, sweat dripping from their brows in exertion.

"I think the fire's nicely contained now; no one else was in the building except the girl. We're very lucky you were there," A larger fireman stepped up, directing that last sentence at me. His helmet had a silver emblem, not a bronze one, and a 'HEAD' badge was sewn into his uniform. "You must be Peter?" He held out his hand.

I took his hesitantly, "Yes sir."

"Your actions today were extraordinary! I heard from a few eye-witnesses how you dived into the building to save the child, intelligently covering your mouth and nose and getting the child out, covering her mouth and nose from the smoke too, and making her your first priority. I don't know how well you performed within the building but judging by how fast you got in and out you must have acted efficiently. The fire-brigade is in need of people like you, brave, selfless and efficient. I'd like to offer you to do a three month training course in the field, payed, and then hopefully if you pass, I'd like to offer you a job in my brigade." He looked at me expectantly.

"Er…" His words whizzed round my head like flies that I couldn't quite grasp hold of.

"Of course you don't have to decide right away!" He chuckled, "I apologise I'm springing this on you so quickly! But the fire brigade is short of numbers, and it's a tough job; we need the best of the best."

I felt Wendy stiffen next to me and her previous words circled round my head: _don't EVER do that again!_

"I'll have to think about it," I said warmly.

"Of course," He proceeded to give me a number and an address, and said to come within the week if I wanted to take him up on the offer, then he stepped away.

I watched his receding back, lost in thought; I'd been looking for a job, and here was one practically being handed to me on a silver platter! No one knew I'd flown to save the girl, and when I thought about it, no one needed to know; my flying ability would mean more lives could be saved, even if I merely used it to help my agility in the building, to help me climb up onto higher places faster and, as the head put it, more 'efficiently,' so it wouldn't even look like I was using any flying abilities. I'd be able to save lives that other firemen would struggle to save! I'd be able to help people! It was perfect!

Wendy must have noticed my growing excitement because she placed her hand atop of mine and murmured, "I'd be proud to be married to a life saver."

I turned and gazed into her deep blue orbs, "I'm sorry… but I can save lives that other people can't! I can fly Wendy!" I whispered croakily. "It's perfect!"

The sun began to dip low in the sky, slipping behind tall buildings and casting large shadows across the pavement. "I know; you should use that belief of yours for something like this, and I'm proud you saved that little girl's life; sometimes I forget how amazing you are! And how lucky I am to have you. I'm sorry I blew up I was just- scared..." And she placed her hands on either side of my face and rested her nose gently against mine, "I love you."

"I love you two," My voice was husky from the fire, but it still worked, and I leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips.

Dr Ackerman cleared his throat loudly, "Well… now that everyone's all taken care of I better be off; you two need a lift home?"

Wendy pulled back and smiled at him, "I'm afraid not Dr; Peter and I still have a ring to buy."

I breathed a laugh at how the day's events had held back the main purpose of this shopping trip, first Eliza, and now this, "That we do."

Xxxxxxxxxx

One month later:

I rolled over onto my side and Wendy groaned next to me, shifting herself onto her back, before her breaths steadied out once more.

I couldn't sleep; the fireman training was now only two days away! Excitement bubbled in my chest; I felt a need to prove myself to the head of the brigade, his warm smile, calming voice and sophisticated manner were all so admirable… if only I could be like that.

I sighed loudly, and stared at the curtains as they wafted in the breeze that played with them through the open window. Moonlight seeped through the cracks and painted lines across the white ceiling.

I fingered the now month old ring on my finger; we hadn't removed them since we'd got them. Mine was golden with lacy words carved into the inside, _Second star to the right..._ Wendy had a silver one which finished my old words; … _and straight on 'till morning!_

I rolled over once more and wrapped my arm around my soon-to-be-wife (we'd finally settled on January as a date; Mary saying that having it before Christmas would be the death of her- "far too much to do!") and I rested my hand on her miniature round bump.

"Hey baby… daddy's gonna be a fireman soon, you just wait and see! But you and mummy don't have to be scared; I'll make sure to always protect myself too so I can come home and see you every day. Yeah? I love you baby, daddy loves you so, so much."

I kissed Wendy's hair softly and she mumbled in her sleep.

Crack!

Quick as a whip my head flung round and I jolted off the bed, poised in a fighting position at the window.

Wendy's eyes flung open, "What?!" Her voice was thick with sleep.

"Shh!" I whispered, my eyes glued to the window.

The hinges creaked and cracked.

Wendy shifted in the bed.

The curtain bulged out as a body brushed into it.

Their feet hit the ground, dark boots, knobbly knees, brown trousers.

I raised my hand in a fist.

The person flung back the curtain.

I pounced.

"Gahh! Whoa whoa whoa dude! IT'S ME! IT'S SLIGHTLY!"

My fist paused, millimetres from his nose. His body was crushed under my weight and his eyes were crossed, both staring at my fist.

I breathed deeply and shifted off, "Slightly, gods don't ever sneak up on me like that!" I laughed and pulled him into a hug, "What're you doing here?"

"Aw Pete I've missed you!" I clapped me on the shoulder, "We've got a pro-"

He paused, staring dazed at Wendy, who was wearing a rather short, strappy nightgown; her shoulders and lower neck bare for the world to see.

"Whoa! You two are getting serious," he licked his lips and winked obviously at me.

I deadpanned.

He sniggered, "Kidding! Kidding! Anyway," His voice turned serious, "We need you back in Neverland."

"What why?" I frowned at him and Wendy padded across the room in her bare feet and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Is everything okay, Slightly?"

"No," He bit down on his lip, hard, "I wish this could be a happy reunion but…"

He trailed off. I stared into his eyes, darkened by the cloak of night, but also by whatever bad news he was hiding. "Slightly?"

I knew then, just as he seemed like a lost memory, a lost figment of my imagination, the only evidence he'd ever existed the scar along my chest, he came barrelling back to my happiness to shatter it into a thousand shards, never again to be recovered.

"Hook made his first move."

 _Oh dearrrr… Hook is back ladies and gentlemen! Ahaha I'm sorry it took so long for him to make his move, and there will be more waiting a bit later on in the story, but never fear Hook will become a major part of the story a little later on!;)_

 _Anyways what do you guys think about what has happened in the last few chapters? Please let me know if there's anything you don't like about the story or anything you do like about it- I'd love the feedback!:D_

 _Thanks for reading!XD_

 _Acia xxx_


	21. Chapter 21- The First Move

_Hey guys I'm back in college next week so updates may slow down quite a bit, hehe, as 6_ _th_ _form is a bummer for homework:( However this story is one I defo want finished by Christmas, there's a lot left to write but hopefully I'll be able to update like once every two weeks, although if this story is getting updated then my others probably won't be so if you read my other fanfic I'm sorry!_

 _Oh and also I've just started my first collaboration with a friend of mine Cerelia Rye; it's a Disney/ THG crossover and we've been planning it for AGES. We've only got the prologue up atm (it's quite short ahaha) but if you like Disney (if you're reading this I'd assume you do;) or THG then check it out!XD_

 _Aahaha anyways enough of my rambling; hope you enjoy this chapter!_

Chapter 21- The First Move

I stared out into the empty bay, the water gently lapping at my toes as the moon shone down on the water, mapping the stars upon its surface.

"And just like that?" I asked the chief, my voice devoid of feeling.

"Just like that," He replied with a gruff sigh.

"He's gone again." I swallowed hard.

"Just without the peace this time." The chief's voice turned hard and fierce, a tone I hadn't heard since we'd first arrived on the Island, and he took off down the beach, his large build leaving deep footprints in the soft sand.

I glanced back once more at the water as a raven, it's black feathers stark against the white moon, swooped overhead and out towards the empty ocean; it's flapping wings were the only sound on the mourning Island.

At least until Tink rang her bells in my ears, concern written all over her pale face.

I sighed at her, staring deep into her emerald eyes, and my thoughts tumbled out like water running with the force of gravity, first slowly, softly, then faster, harsher. "I don't understand him; why would he kill someone and then just up and leave? What is he looking for? What's his plan? What does he want to achieve by all this? Or is it some kind of crappy warning?" I shook my head and groaned as the questions tumbled round my head, panic swirling in my chest, yanking at my heart strings painfully- was Wendy next? Slightly? Tootles? Tink? Tiger Lily? The Darlings? Paranoia buzzed around my head like an itch that wouldn't go away, "Tink… I can't… I can't live like this! This waiting… this confusion… this lack of…of anything! I don't understand him!" I let out an unstable laugh, "I was finally settled in London, and then this?!" My voice reached a high and I threw my hands up and went to shout out into the empty water, my frustration, confusion and guilt boiling over the surface; I wanted to scream it all out, let the whole world hear. But Tink pressed herself against my lips, her eyes sad and almost… _pitying?,_ and motioned into the trees.

I swung my head round to see the edge of a wooden sword disappear suddenly from behind the lush bushes, and five fingertips snatch themselves back from behind a tree trunk, "I know you're there boys," I said dryly.

They poked their heads out and shuffled forward on the sand.

"Don't worry Peter," Curly smiled up reassuringly.

"Yeah! Hook won't ever defeat us!" Nibs added with a grin.

Tink tinkled in agreement, creating a sword from her fairy dust and beginning to brandish it around the boys.

"Avast thee!" Nibs cried out, meeting her fairy sword with his wooden one. The moment they clashed the dust sword gave a 'poof!' and showered us with fairy dust.

Tootles sneezed.

"You've changed again," The Twins frowned up at me and I smiled fondly back, patting their heads like Dr Ackerman had done with me before.

"I'm still the same me; I'm still your Peter Pan." I placed my hands on my hips and smirked arrogantly.

They all laughed.

"Yep but you've definitely grown," Slightly pointed out with a wink.

"So has your ego," I grinned and swatted the brown hat with a white feather in it that sat atop his head.

"Hey! That's my pan hat!"

"You need the PANpipes to call yourself pan," I winked and placed a hand smugly on my hip. "And you need to be able to play them too!"

"Pffft!" Slightly replied indignantly.

I sniggered, and then looked off towards the end of the beach where the chief's cloak disappeared into the woods. The boys followed my gaze and Nibs shuffled awkwardly, "It wasn't your fault… we just needed you to know in case… in case he went after you next."

They looked at me with wide eyes, "Hook's never killed before. Not truly." Slightly glanced out at the waves as they rolled onto the sand.

"He's desperate." My voice turned darker and deeper, "C'mon; we have a funeral to attend."

Xxxxxxxxxx

I looked down at the kid's face, so young, so fresh. His long lashes rested gently on his pure face and his cheeks were blushed with youth, something that death had not yet managed to steal away. His injuries had been carefully bandaged and covered up out of respect by the tribe.

I thought back to the night we played Capture the Flag, the way the kid, the one I'd simply named 'smaller Indian', had parried all my blows, turning me onto the defensive. He was a good, strong fighter, a true Brave.

"Rising Sun," The chief's voice rose and he held up the lit torch, "Although no sculptured marble should rise to his memory, nor engraved stone bear record of his brave and honourable deeds, his remembrance shall be as lasting as the land he has honoured and his spirit will live on in our hearts for as long as our tribe shall live." He placed the torch upon the body and I closed my eyes and clenched my hands together.

If only I had been there.

I could've saved him.

I shook my head, "I saved the girl instead."

"What?" Slightly frowned.

I stared at him as both our eyes filled over with tears and they ran in streams down our faces, "Nothing."

I turned away from my most trusted friend and looked up at the stars as they twinkled and shimmered above us, the sparks from the fire shot up to join them and the ashes were lifted gently from the body by the breeze and flew up towards the sky.

Towards freedom.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Are you sure it was Hook?" I asked for the umpteenth time.

The tribe and boys looked at me as if I was dumb, "Yes." The chief's voice was laced with impatience, understandably; they'd never had an actual death due to the pirates before, only ever close calls. Because I'd been there. Or because Hook had become more murderous than ever before? Desperate. "The Hook marks were unmistakable."

"So Hook did the deed himself," I growled into the dirt and my fingers fiddled with the grass that grew up in the Indian camp.

"He was tortured," A young girl spoke up.

"Willow," The chief warned.

"No!" She bit back, tears welling up in her eyes, "He was tortured for information on YOU!" She pointed her finger at me accusatively.

"This isn't Peter's fault!" A different brave shouted out.

"They had the chance to kill him on that ship a year and a half ago!" I flinched. "But they showed him mercy and set him and his crew adrift- I certainly wouldn't have." Her voice was thick with pain and anger.

"He was being a good man!" Another girl shouted out, it was only a moment later that I realised that girl had been Tiger Lily. In the centre of it all they were just voices, either with or against me.

"He couldn't have known Hook would take it this far!"

"No! He was being a fool."

"Yeah! Why does Hook hate Peter so much in the first place? Clearly they had some tangle in the past and Peter is just trying to avoid him."

"Leaving us with the dirty work!"

"Yeah!"

"SHUT UP!" Slightly's voice rang out like a knife in the air. My breaths were coming hard and fast and my eyes were still glued onto the ground.

Was it my fault?

After all… it _was_ me who Hook was after…

"Peter didn't have ANY tangle in the past- I knew Peter right from the start and he never had anything to do with Hook until he came sailing up on the Jolly Roger with a bottle to his lips called 'anger.' Hook's just a psychotic bastard who hates Peter more than anything probably because he's cocky and used to wind him up, but we all did! Peter was just targeted because he's the leader of us!" His voice cracked and he notably left out the _and now I'm the leader_ part. I yanked out the grass and crushed it between my finger nails. "Stop blaming Peter. He's as much a victim as you guys are- gods he nearly _died_ the other year." Slightly's voice was more angry than I'd ever heard it before, it was laced with bitterness and boldness. "So just… SHUT UP!"

I felt a strange sensation like pride fill my chest and I raised my head to face the stares of the Indians. "Slightly's right. I don't know why Hook is after me, and I don't really know what to do about it." I could go after Hook myself… stop anymore deaths. The moment I had that thought Wendy's face filled my vision, and the picture of that tiny bump on her stomach…

My voice elevated a notch, "But for now he's gone again and I have a pregnant wife at home to provide for. I can't stay with you, but I can be at the other end of the stars when you need me. I'll visit often like I said. I don't know-" My voice broke, "I don't know what Hook's plan is, and I'm sorry for your loss. I'd be bitter and angry too. I never thought Hook would take it so far, I mean I used to think it was all just a game-"

"Like the child you are." The girl, Willow, spat out.

"Like the child I _was_." I corrected steadily. "For now Hook's disappeared again-"

"So we're just going to leave him?!" A brave called out, "We should go after him!"

"No!" The chief's voice rang out cold, "We must not endanger the tribe unnecessarily for a fickle thing like revenge. Peter is right, for now Hook is gone; we shall mourn our loss and wipe Hook from our minds. When he returns we shall figure out a plan. But we have no idea where Hook has gone, and we do not want to accidentally fall into the real world once more, we do not belong in that place. We stay here."

There were mumblings of agreement from the elder people of the tribe. Willow stood sharply and walked off down the mountain.

"They were engaged," Nibs murmured in my ear.

My eyes widened and my heart blistered at the thought of losing Wendy; I'd be lost, completely and utterly lost. My chest constricted painfully at the mere thought of it, for it to actually happen…I shuddered and a burst of anger boiled up inside of me and I stared out into the ocean. Hook had it coming this time. The moment he next attacked we would pounce without hesitation. He couldn't get away with this, this _murder._

The tribe broke up and I lowered my eyes to the ground once more; confusion, pain, anger, all ripping through me, all taking it in turns to jab me with the feeling, right in the centre of my chest.

Slightly placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'll let you know when he returns; I promise." His brown eyes flashed with wrath. I placed my other hand on his shoulder and gave a sharp nod.

"I know I have a responsibility to Wendy, but I also have one to Neverland. When he returns, I shall finish him." My voice sounded unforgiving, foreign to my own ears.

"So shall we." He held out his hand and we fist bumped, like the good old days. Although this time it wasn't because we won a game, this wasn't make believe, this was very, very real.

A slight body settled down beside me and brushed back her charcoal coloured hair.

"Hey." The thick accent, the proud voice?

I glanced up at the princess, "Hey."

"How's Wendy?" Her dark eyes, almost black, were inquisitive and bright.

"She's good…" I smiled softly.

"I wish I could see her; who'd have thought we'd get so close on our last visit?" She sighed and rested her chin on her intertwined hands.

I breathed a laugh, "You did hate each other the first time."

Tiger Lily huffed, "She was jealous."

"So were you." I snickered.

"Oh come on! I'm just a natural flirt." She growled like a tiger and I laughed.

"You're so bad at making people feel better." I shook my head with a smile.

"I made you laugh, didn't I?"

"I suppose." My eyes drifted back down to the ground.

"Hey," She lifted my chin up with her first finger, "It'll be fine. Willow will realise who the real enemy is- she'll forgive you. And we'll worry about Hook when he comes. For now you need to go home." She drew out a piece of parchment from the yellow band that wrapped round her cream dress, "Will you give this to her?"

"Sure," I tucked it into my shirt pocket.

"And no reading it! Girly stuffs," She tapped her nose.

I breathed a laugh, "Gotcha."

The chief strode up, his stature and the way his cloak framed him creating the very image of supremacy and control, "Peter, you have a responsibility to your wife and child; you should go."

"Got their first papa!" Tiger Lily whispered to herself so only I could hear.

I raised my eyebrows at her and she winked.

The chief looked across at his tribe which had broken into separate huddles of people, "We do not know how much of your life Hook now knows. Our braves act to protect the tribe, if he threatened them I have no doubt that Hook will know of your child. I would have told him if he'd threatened my tribe."

I nodded seriously, "I understand. I'm so, so sorry for-"

He held up his hand, "It is no fault but Hook's. Willow is too overcome by grief to see that now."

"Will she be okay?" The stupidity of my question surprised me.

"Would you?"

I didn't reply. He knew my answer.

xxxxxxx

"I'll be back at Christmas; let me know if anything happens before then." I said steadily, looking at each of my boys in turn.

"Sorry Pete," Slightly murmured, "I know you were settled…"

"Stop. I'm glad you told me- I need to know. The tribe is right, Hook is after _me_ for whatever reason, and in the end I'm going to have to fight him." I looked out towards the stars, "Whenever that may be."

"Agreed." Slightly replied.

The other boys were silent and merely nodded in agreement, "Say hi to mother for us," Curly mumbled.

"Of course I will."

"And hi to the baby!" The Twins added.

"Naturally."

"Do you have a job yet?" Nibs questioned out of the blue.

I laughed, "I'm training to be a fireman."

"Awh cool!" They all gasped before Nibs piped up with, "What does that mean?"

I sniggered at their lack of knowledge, "It means I save people from fires. I save lives."

"Well, not much is changing then." Slightly grinned at me.

"I suppose…" I replied softly, thinking back to how I saved them all. "Right, I need to get back to Wendy and my child, and I have training tomorrow and we have the wedding invitations to send out too… you'll be there won't you!" I looked at them all expectantly.

"Huh?"

"You'll come to the wedding! In January."

They nodded quickly.

"Of course!"

"YAY!"

"I love weddings!"

"Will they have that special drink? The chief said the white man has it on celebrations!"

"Woooo!"

"Don't forget! Promise me," I looked at them all knowingly and they smiled back sheepishly.

"We promise," They chorused.

I beamed, "Good." I saluted and they rushed to attention, naturally bumping in to each other (they'd never grow out of it), and saluted back.

"This is weird," One Twin said.

"Yeah, Slightly's usually the one in your place."

I grinned, "Ohhhhh it seems like I'm still the supreme leader here!" I winked smugly at him and he pouted.

"Excuse me!"

I sniggered, "Just kidding! How's the leader thing coming along anyway?"

"Aw he's great!"

"He's stricter than you Captain!"

"He invented a new game!"

They all blurted out at once.

"Whoa, whoa! One at a time," I laughed, turning to Slightly. "Looks like you're doing a fine job Captain."

"Well… I had a good teacher."

We beamed at each other and fist bumped.

"Well… I better be off boys." Tink swooped down and tinkled in my ear, "Lead me back Tink!"

Xxxxxxxxxxx

It was night once more when I returned, but Wendy wasn't in the bed. I felt seized for a second by fear, what if Hook had come and taken Wendy while I wasn't there?!

But then Tink pointed down to the living room below; Wendy's shape could be seen with her mother through the curtains, both sewing. Our house was still being decorated so we were still at the Darling's place, for once I was glad of this; at least Wendy hadn't been alone.

I drifted in through the window and Tink settled on my shoulder.

"I'll let you know if Hook does anything again," She rang.

I nodded, "Thanks Tink. What would I do without you?" I smiled at her softly and she placed her hands on my nose.

"How's Terrance?" I whispered suddenly.

She blushed tomato red, "Good."

"Hmmhmmm…."

She pouted, then gushed out, "We really really like each other and we're going to the annual winter season changing dance and then the Queen even said we were cute together which was just like wha? Gah! And then I stubbed my toe the other day on a rose bush and got a cut in my foot and he wrapped it up in leaves for me and tended to me for the day, and rubbed fairy dust on it to help it heal and omigosh it was sooo cute! And then-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" I chuckled, "He sounds amazing! Keep me updated." I winked, then mumbled, "Have you kissed yet?"

Her face turned, if possible, even redder, "Niiiice." I smirked and she thwacked me with her tiny feet, which were surprisingly strong.

"Gah! I'm teasing Tink!"

She giggled, "Well, I should go- I need to make a dress for this thing! I was thinking long… or short? But I wear short anyway… er…"

"Go for something different… but still you- draw his attention." I winked.

"Aye, aye Captain!" I gave a wave and she zipped off through the window cheerily; if only I could be a fairy and have just one emotion at a time; life would be good.

I flopped down onto the bed with a sigh- what a day.

I groaned and placed my head in my hands, what was I supposed to do? I was trying to live a normal life in London, but at the same time had Hook baring down my back making murders in Neverland and torturing people for information about me! I didn't know what to think, or what to do, or if I should do anything at all.

A quick breeze suddenly shifted through the window, making my hairs stand on end, and a piece of paper spiralled down from Wendy's desk.

I stood and reached down, my eyes catching the words _dear diary,_ and curiosity clouding the good judgement that said; _oh hey look a private piece of writing you shouldn't be reading._

My eyes scanned the contents and my heart constricted once more in my chest…

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Oh gods that sounds so bad. I've never written a diary before… but I suppose now is the best time to start. Peter's gone off again; well it's his first time flying off since we came back but… I've no idea when he'll return and with Hook lurking about I can't help but want to follow. But he made me promise to stay behind and… well I can't break promises, and besides it's not like I have a fairy that'll help me fly, is it? I don't really know why I'm writing this… I just needed to write something to let the pipe of worry lose a little._

 _Like, for one, Peter's never talked about his backstory with Hook before, he never really talks about his past at all. Which is fine, I know about his parents and his Aunt Eliza, (who is such a good cook! Literally I crave her buns all the time, I think Elisha does too!) but I can't help but wonder if there was something with Hook. Like why does Hook hate him so much? Can't he just leave us alone?_

The writing became a scrawl.

 _It just doesn't make sense that Hook would target Peter without a reason. I mean to kill someone? You'd have to hate someone a LOT to do that and I don't get how that much hatred can be spawned from an arrogant child playing tricks with his band of lost boys. I don't want to think that Peter's keeping secrets, but I think he is… I don't even know. I guess I'm just scared. I don't want my child to grow up in a world where a pirate is breathing down her (or his!) father's back. Hook is like a curse…for now he's disappeared, then he'll come back again. It's driving me insane! Perhaps that's Hook's tactic, to come and then go and then strike and then go so we're constantly waiting for his next attack. If that's it then we'll show him he's wrong. We'll continue our lives in the happy way that we have been for the past month, decorating the house, preparing for the wedding, having picnics with our families. He can only break us when we lose hope and get consumed by his curse._

 _That won't happen._

 _I won't let it._

 _Wendy._

I stared at the paper, inspiration bubbling up in my chest. Wendy was right; we should forget about Hook completely; we couldn't let him antagonise us. Life would carry on. When the time came we would fight, but for now… we should live.

The door creaked and my head jolted up.

"Peter?" Wendy's frame stood in the doorway of the moonlit room, light from the hallway bursting into our bedroom. "Oh Peter!" She dived into my arms and I lifted her up, wrapping my arms tight around her.

"Oh Wendy, I'm fine, I'm fine." I mumbled into her hair.

She sniffled, "Gods I was so worried, you have no ide-" She paused, "Peter, what are you holding?"

I pulled back and stared down at the sheet of paper in my hands. "Sorry… I couldn't help it- I-"

"It's okay… it's just a bit embarrassing…" She giggled, "Like what on earth was I writing abou-"

"I thought it was brilliant." I said.

She looked at me, her lips slightly parted.

"You're right; we can't live in fear of Hook. Tomorrow I'm going to the fireman training, and I'm becoming a fireman, and I'm going to provide for you like I should. We're going to go out on weekends with the family and have a lovely Christmas, get married and have a beautiful baby and live in a beautiful house. Hook can but in at any time he wants, but until then he's gonna be attention-less." I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead softly.

She nodded, "Yes. We will." She threaded her hands in my air and pushed back against me, parting her lips and kissing me slowly and passionately, I kissed her back, my hand running up and down her white, silky nightgown.

I mumbled out suddenly into her lips, "I'm not keeping secrets… I truly don't know who or even what Hook is. I just play his game."

She stiffened slightly, then relaxed into me,"I know… I just couldn't rid myself of the doubts."

"I understand." I smiled softly.

"Gods I love that dimpled smile," She breathed.

I breathed a laugh, "Why thank you m'lady. Oh! And Tiger Lily gave me this," I reached into my shirt pocket and pulled out the parchment.

She took it gently and scanned the short paragraph, her smile widening, "Tiger Lily's so sweet!" She placed it down on her dresser tenderly.

"What's it say?" I sat cross-legged on the bed like an eager child.

"Never you mind!" She tutted.

I reached out for her suddenly and grasped her waist, she squealed with laughter, "Hey!"

I flipped her round and pushed her onto the bed with alarming speed, climbing on top of her gently, so her stomach was empty of any burden.

She giggled in surprise but her eyes darkened seductively as she lay below me. "She's just checking up on me… there's only a sentence about you."

"What's it say?" I breathed into her neck.

"Not telling," She mumbled back, "I love the fact you get so wound up about it- it's hilarious. You're so childish."

"Hmmm?" I nipped her neck, "Am I?"

She shivered below me, "Yeaaah…"

I pulled back and gazed into her deep blue eyes, "I love you."

"Trying to change the subject?" She challenged.

"Oy!" I leaned down and grazed my lips against hers, before journeying down the ridges of her collarbone, nipping her skin with little kisses, before I lifted up her nightgown to reveal the small bump and kissing it tenderly, "Hey baby," I whispered.

Wendy giggled, "She can't here you yet, she's only fourteen weeks."

"Dr Ackerman said he'd be able to hear at around sixteen weeks so that's close enough." I replied smugly. "Look who pays attention now."

She laughed aloud, "I suppose that's true Dr."

I laughed and planted baby kisses along her stomach, "You're so, so beautiful."

"Me or the baby?" Wendy interrupted.

"Shh! You're ruining my speech. And both- duh!"

She burst into silent laughter, her stomach shaking as she did, "I should sing to him."

"I've never heard you sing, except silly Lost Boy songs!"

"Those songs aren't silly! They're the beauty of being a Lost Boy; the breath and soul of it all!" I exclaimed loudly.

"Shh! You'll wake Michael!"

"Sorry!" I loud whispered, "Okay… Rock-a-bye baby…"

"No! The baby falls out the tree it's horrific!" Wendy half scolded, half laughed.

"Okay, then you sing," I dared, reaching up to peck her on the nose.

She placed a hand on her stomach and I placed my hand on top of hers, "Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay. My, oh my what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine, plenty of rain. Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay." I closed my eyes at the sound of her angelic voice filling the air.

But then…

"What're you doing?" Michael yawned sleepily, his small shadow stretching across the floor and up the bed as the light from the landing illuminated our room through the open door. Yeah we should really learn to close that in the future…

"Gah!?" I leaped backwards and tumbled off the bed, my head hitting the ground with a satisfying 'thump!'

"Peter?!" At least Wendy was concerned for my health.

Michael snorted, "Pahahaha you fell off!"

I shook my head to clear it and sat up, "Oh no you don't Mr!" I warned.

Michael merely giggled harder at my expression.

I sucked in deeply, "I'm gonna get you!" With that I leapt up and chased him out the room.

"Peter! It's ten at night he needs to calm down, not get all excited!" Wendy scolded, but I could hear the laughter in her voice.

I raced round the banister and grabbed him round the waist as he went to bound down the stairs. He kicked out laughing, "You cheeky little monkey! No one laughs at Peter Pan!" I tickled his stomach and he squealed in delight.

"Ahaahaha but you were such a dork!" He snorted.

"Dork?"

"Someone who's idiotic," John explained, halfway up the stairs, as he frowned at the two of us locked in a tackle at the top of the stairs.

"What're you doing?" George frowned up at us from slightly lower down and I ceased the tickling, leaving Michael gasping and giggling.

"He was laughing at me for falling off the bed."

"You're so childish Peter!" Michael poked my nose.

"Gah!"

George guffawed incredibly loudly at his son's words and John looked at him in alarm.

"What's this ruckus?" Mary appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Peter's back!" Wendy called down from the top.

"Oh thank goodness." Mary smiled up at me, "Everything okay?"

"Yep!" I called back down.

There was silence.

"Well… shall we all go to bed instead of standing on the stairs?" George proposed.

There were mutterings of agreement and I carried a squealing Michael back to bed, "I don't wanna go to bed! I'm not," Yawn, "tired!"

"Yep you are! The yawn gives you away!" I poked his stomach and he laughed aloud.

Dumping him on the bed, I picked up teddy and placed him snugly next to Michael's head. Michael pulled the covers up to his neck himself but, just as I was leaving the room, he spoke out, "Peter? Can I sing to the baby?" His voice was so pleading and quiet that I almost melted.

"You can sing him to sleep tomorrow night my little monkey." I kissed his forehead and he snuggled down with a smile.

"M'kay."

I closed the nursery door behind me with a 'click!'

Wendy stood leaning against the door to her room, a light smile playing on her lips, "You're so good with him."

"Well… I'm practicing." I placed a hand on her stomach and she beamed before leaning up and kissing me tenderly on the lips. "I won't ever let anything bad happen to you or the baby." I blurted out suddenly, my voice unnaturally sincere.

"I know you won't."

 _Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Lol they're getting longer and longer as the story progresses!_

 _Let me know what you thought of this chappie in the reviews below!_

 _Thanks for readingXD_

 _Acia xxx_


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